Change Agent

Last year around the same time, I had written an article presenting my analysis of whether Ahilya's case in the Ramayana fits for a case of gender discrimination. After sharing my piece with friends I realised that this story had deeper meanings rather than as seen from the modern eye. Here is my article: http://blogs.rediff.com/rahulwrites/2009/02/02/ahilya-uddhar-and-gender-discrimination/ Now I read a very learned explanation of the same episode, piling off layers of symbolisms behind this mythological story. As we know, Hinduism is one of the world's oldest religions and it has seen many cycles. With time, much of knowledge was lost, especially at the times of dominance over Bharat Varsha by foreign invaders and foreign faiths. Today many Hindus feel we are on the path of Hindu renaissance. I feel all our religious concepts along with mythological stories need a review. We have only to gain and nothing to lose by being critics and analysing concepts deeper, even at times ch...

Two days back, Bombay High Court made a controversial ruling. Marriage doesn’t change a woman’s caste, rules HC Hetal Vyas / DNASaturday, January 23, 2010 0:14 IST A woman’s caste does not change after marriage, the Bombay high court has ruled. The order came on Friday on the hearing of an application by Mumbai resident Rajendra Shrivastava, who had sought anticipatory bail after his wife, a scheduled caste, accused him and her in-laws of dowry harassment and ‘casteist atrocities’. Shrivastava said that since the woman was married to him, a forward caste man, she could not seek protection or benefits under the Prevention of Atrocities Act (PAA), 1989. But the bench of justices BH Marlapalle, Abhay Oka and RY Ganoo did not agree. It said: When a woman born in a scheduled caste or scheduled tribe (SC/ST) marries a person belonging to a forward caste, her caste does not change. An SC/ST person suffers from disadvantages and indignities just because he or she is born into a particular c...

I saw a friend using the term ‘apartheid’ to describe the prevailing caste-based reservation system in India. I wondered if this term is applicable in Indian case and tried to read more into the term. I found the word meaning of Apartheid: (Ref: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/apartheid ) a·part·heid (-pärtht, -ht) n. 1. An official policy of racial segregation formerly practiced in the Republic of South Africa, involving political, legal, and economic discrimination against nonwhites. 2. A policy or practice of separating or segregating groups. 3. The condition of being separated from others; segregation. To know more, I got to read what the term ‘apartheid’ stands in relation to politics and government: (Ref: http://www.answers.com/topic/apartheid ) apartheid n (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) (in South Africa) the official government policy of racial segregation; officially renounced in 1992 apartheid Policy of racial segregation and political and economic discrimination...

One evening, I was reading Madhushala by Harivansh Rai Bachchan. Many lines from the poem seemed very different to me than their plain literal meanings. For example, I pick three stanzas: मदिरालय जाने को घर से चलता है पीनेवला, 'किस पथ से जाऊँ?' असमंजस में है वह भोलाभाला, अलग-अलग पथ बतलाते सब पर मैं यह बतलाता हूँ - 'राह पकड़ तू एक चला चल, पा जाएगा मधुशाला।'। ६। A person on the path to spirituality may get confused after seeing so many religions and so many sects - all of them claiming to be the "true path" shown by "the true lord". What will the learner do, especially in case the multiple paths have some very different traits? Here, the poet tells - "Catch any one of the paths and just keep going. You will reach your destination." Since the destination is “one” while the paths can be many, it doesn't really matter which path we are on. All paths would lead to the same truth, if one walks properly. बिना पिये जो मधुशाला को बुरा कहे, वह मतव...

“I love you… What are these pains in comparison with the pleasure of the love that is in my heart?” He gently looked down… “Tell me how did your exam go?” She wanted to know all about everything around him. “It went well. I solved all problems.” “Nice…” “I wish you get your job soon. So that we can marry”. A smile floated on her lips and in her eyes. He dropped a piece of stone in the water. Some fishes came to check it out and went back again. “Today was my last paper” Silence… “My parents will not allow me to marry you”. His eyes had not seen her for long. But seemed they had to wait for more… Her throat started to become dry… Eyes were ready to burst into a flood… Few more moments in silence… “I will die without you” These were her last words that his ears heard. For his heart and soul kept listening to her forever. When results of the final exams came, he had stood first in his high school. But he didn’t reach to collect the mark sheet. For he saw his mark sheet of life as blank… T...

Sister Nivedita describes Lord Shiva in the most beautiful manner I have ever read: The Story of Siva, the Great God IN wild and lonely places, at any time, one may chance on the Great God, for such are His most favoured haunts. Once seen, there is no mistaking Him. Yet He has no look of being rich or powerful. His skin is covered with white wood-ashes. His clothing is but the religious wanderer's yellow cloth. The coils of matted hair are piled high on the top of His head. In one hand He carries the begging-bowl, and in the other His tall staff, crowned with the trident. And sometimes He goes from door to door at midday, asking alms. High amongst the Himalayas tower the great snow -mountains, and here, on the still, cold heights, is Siva throned. Silent nay, rapt in silence does He sit there, absorbed and lost in one eternal meditation. When the new moon shines over the mountain-tops, standing above the brow of the Great God, it appears to worshipping souls as if the light shone t...

‘Science and Religion’ By Muni Shri Chandrashekhar Vijayji Translated into English by SR Falnikar Kamal Prakashan Trust, Ahmedabad. First Edition, 1st Oct 1978 I read the book ‘Science and Religion’ which mainly deals with the concepts, beliefs and philosophies in Jainism and tries to test them in the light of scientific discoveries. The book was written in 1978, or at least this was the edition of the copy which I received, and hence many scientific discoveries are not covered and some others are quickly judged without going into their depth. For example, theory of gravitation by Newton has been discarded in the book as an ‘intellectual fallacy’ and many concepts like presence of life in fire are explained with logic based on weak grounds. I don’t know if the author was qualified enough to understand modern science at the micro as well as macro levels, though he appeared to be well read. For example, the author feels elated when some scientists say that scientific words are ‘not final...