BEYOND THE PLATINUM JUBILEE

                                 

It is unfortunate that we take a lot of trouble for the education and settlement of our wards, their marriage, house construction, vehicle and many such things. We do so so that the next generation could lead a comfortable life. We are so worried for the next generation that we often forget ourselves. By the time one realizes this great miss, he has become old and diseased. Now the fate has dictated him to remain bed-bound and live the rest of life on medical care, if fortunate to have that. This pathetic state of affairs is there because he did not plan his post-retirement life.

Side by side with running the home and hearth, one can easily keep the safety valve working for the looming rainy days. The first requirement is to remain financially viable in the old age. If you have no pension, you are bound to build up with small savings a fund which may come to your rescue after retirement. If you have business, don’t be liberal to leave the entire earning in the hands of the issues. I have seen instances when the sons and their wives have chased away the empty handed parents. In the posh area of Delhi, named Defence colony, a widow was living in her spacious house and her son was settled in the States. Once the son came and convinced the mother to sell out this property and shift to States to live with him. She did accordingly. On departure, he asked the mother to wait on the main gate and himself secretly flew away. Now one can imagine the plight of that homeless old lady.

Next priority goes to health. In the struggle period, if one ignored his health, he will not only undergo endless physical miseries but will also end up being an agonizing liability for the family members. I have heard the family members wishing death for him. If a young man in the family or neighbourhood dies, people would, indicating about the old man, say that the death should have come to him. Hearing such piercing comments amounts to unbearably humiliation. Once one is of 40, he should remain conscious in advance to keep fit so that the family members did not suffer.

Old age is a period when one loses his utility and nobody wants to sit by his side and listen to him. It happens so with the individuals who did not plan to face old age. So, one should never say goodbye to creativity. He should definitely have some hobby or creative expertise which may keep him free of boredome. If he has knowledge of mythology, knows basics of music, has touch of penmanship, has interest in social work so and so forth, people will seek his company and the life will remain worth living. He should avoid being jealous, hateful, quarrelsome and non-cooperative. Instead cordial relations with kiths and kins and neighbours make life easy and liveable.

These tit bits are not new which generally educated people are not aware of. Most of them follow them. But myself being in mid-70s, I have given a waking call to them who are yet to realize this naked truth of old age. 

KEJRIWAL AND JUDICIARY FRIENDSHIP

The self proclaimed only honest politician of India, Arvind Kejriwal has become a darling of the judiaciary as he is being invited in the dock almost cvery month in connection with different cases. He makes haste in levelling charges to earn cheap popularity and  when the aggrieved party challenges, he falls flat. In the wake of the Godhra incident, Narendra Modi, the then Chief Minister of Gujarat was involved in about a dozen of cases. On the request of the complainants, at least two cases were transferred to Mumbai so that he could not influence justice being done. He came out of all with flying colours whereas the Delhi CM is learning hard the consequences of levelling baseless charges.

During Anna Hazare’s Lokpal agitation, Kejriwal had raised corruption charges against several politicians, mainly of the ruling Congress and hardly any could go to the court of law to bring the accused to book. Then he targeted Nitin Gadkari, the acting BJP President, who was in the fray to be duly elected party chief. At such a critical juncture, Kejriwal publicly levelled false charges against him and he had to back out from the party election. But Gadkari did not allow Kejriwal to run scot free. He filed a defamation charge. When in the court of law, charges were on the brink of getting proved hollow, he begged to be pardoned and Gadkaari did not press any more.

Some few months back, when the office room of Rajendra Kumar, IAS officer under Delhi Govt. was searched, Kejriwal felt crestfallen and out of vengeance,  bounced back and got a case filed against the then Police Commissioner, B.S. Bassi that the latter had illegally purchased  a flat at Rohini . The court has found no mala fide in the case and it has been discharged. Now it is upto Bassi to file a counter case of defamation, asking for a huge compensation. Who is now having the last laugh ?

You may be remembering that Kejriwal had used a defamatory word like ‘Thulla’ for the police. A constable, has filed a case against him under the plea that such demeaning remarks demoralized the police force. When Kejriwal realized the gaffe, he tried to retrace the boo-boo, but by then the judiciary  had taken cognizance. He has been summoned to appear in person on June 10. It does not behove of a public figure like a chief minister to face a constable in the court. But then so is our fighter CM.

In this connection, the hydrogen bomb is going to to be exploded by Arun Jaitley, who has filed a defamation case against Kejriwal and party for calling him corrupt. On behalf of the DCCBI also a case has been registered against the Delhi CM, charging corrupt practices in that cricketing body. Jaitley has demanded Rs ten crore as compensation. The day this case was filed in the Patiala House court, both the BJP and the AAP supporters had organized processions and demonstrations to prop up their leaders. Ram Jethamalani. the top criminal advocate and some leading practising lawyers belonging to the Congress are extending their legal consultancy to Kejriwal. No ideology is involved here. For the Congress, restless at opposition benches, any stick is handi to beat Modi. However, the unattached legal brains are privately expressing that Kejriwal is in deep soup.

The latest from this so-called honest politician is his RTI about Narendra Modi’s educational qualification. Gujarat University VC declared that with 63% marks, Modi had cleared MA in political science in first division. Now Kejriwal wants to know about the graduation result. When this is also available, he may not quit, instead may ask for high school and then primary school results. Thanks to the Delhi voters, who have elected an individual who has a lot of time to pursue such petty issues.  He spends so much time and resources on odd-even but does tot stop registration of diesel cars. Are not there any more useful other public works for the Delhi Govt?   

INDO-US RELATIONS AT A CROSSROADS

   In India, right since 1947, it is understood that the Republicans have been pro-Pak whereas the Democrats always nourished pro-Indian policies. The Republican Presidents gave huge economic aids and arms and ammunitions to Pakistan when the latter conceded to join the NATO. On the other hand, India as a proud nation maintained equi-distance from both the power blocs. Later, with Marshal Tito of earstwhile Ugoslavia and Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt, Pt Nehru had spearheaded non-alignment movement. As the time went by, India started going closer to the then USSR because pinpricks from Pakistan were badly disturbing her. Particularly from 1960 to 1980, the American bonanzas were so rampant that the military rulers of Pakistan waged wars against India in 1965 and 1971.
There was a break in this trend when Kennedy became the Democratic President. There was a rethinking that for a small country like Pakistan, to ignore the second most populated country of the world was not a wise policy. So, Kennedy started giving priority to India to the dislike of Pakistan. But to our misfortune, Kennedy was assassinated and his successor Johnson later lost to the Republican party. The two terms of Bush revived the undue espousal of Pak causes. During Clinton regime some improvements were marked in Indo-US relations, which went a step ahead under Obama. But, we have seen that the US was never strict to Pakistan on the terrorist issues. Entire POK stands converted into train camps for the Jehadis, infiltrating their groups into J&K for creating disturbances. When India moved USA, they would say that the evidences were not enough.
Now the next election is due in America. Hillary Clinton of Democratic Party and Donald Trump of the Republican Party are likely to emerge as presidential candidates..There are 22 lakh Indians in that country and several among them are holding good positions to influence the voters. We must judge the candidates on the basis of their track record. We definitely want a President who could help us to deal with China and Pakistan. While the Democrat candidate is evasive on these issues, the Republican puts forward his stand bluntly and boldly. Trump is very angry on the economic policy of China and has declared that he would not permit the Dragon the ’rape’ of American economy through excessive exports. Regarding Pakistan, he has declared that he would be the last person to tolerate Islamic Jehad. He would not hesitate to curb immigration of Muslims. The world today is badly suffering from Islamic terrorism and we would definitely like the West, led by the USA to come heavily on  such religious militancy. Therefore, we Indians should wisely think if we should meekly stick to our old pro-Democrat attitude.    In India, right since 1947, it is understood that the Republicans have been pro-Pak whereas the Democrats always nourished pro-Indian policies. The Republican Presidents gave huge economic aids and arms and ammunitions to Pakistan when the latter conceded to join the NATO. On the other hand, India as a proud nation maintained equi-distance from both the power blocs. Later, with Marshal Tito of earstwhile Ugoslavia and Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt, Pt Nehru had spearheaded non-alignment movement. As the time went by, India started going closer to the then USSR because pinpricks from Pakistan were badly disturbing her. Particularly from 1960 to 1980, the American bonanzas were so rampant that the military rulers of Pakistan waged wars against India in 1965 and 1971.
There was a break in this trend when Kennedy became the Democratic President. There was a rethinking that for a small country like Pakistan, to ignore the second most populated country of the world was not a wise policy. So, Kennedy started giving priority to India to the dislike of Pakistan. But to our misfortune, Kennedy was assassinated and his successor Johnson later lost to the Republican party. The two terms of Bush revived the undue espousal of Pak causes. During Clinton regime some improvements were marked in Indo-US relations, which went a step ahead under Obama. But, we have seen that the US was never strict to Pakistan on the terrorist issues. Entire POK stands converted into train camps for the Jehadis, infiltrating their groups into J&K for creating disturbances. When India moved USA, they would say that the evidences were not enough.
Now the next election is due in America. Hillary Clinton of Democratic Party and Donald Trump of the Republican Party are likely to emerge as presidential candidates..There are 22 lakh Indians in that country and several among them are holding good positions to influence the voters. We must judge the candidates on the basis of their track record. We definitely want a President who could help us to deal with China and Pakistan. While the Democrat candidate is evasive on these issues, the Republican puts forward his stand bluntly and boldly. Trump is very angry on the economic policy of China and has declared that he would not permit the Dragon the ’rape’ of American economy through excessive exports. Regarding Pakistan, he has declared that he would be the last person to tolerate Islamic Jehad. He would not hesitate to curb immigration of Muslims. The world today is badly suffering from Islamic terrorism and we would definitely like the West, led by the USA to come heavily on  such religious militancy. Therefore, we Indians should wisely think if we should meekly stick to our old pro-Democrat attitude. The time is ripe for such a rethinking.

DAK THE FOLK ASTROLOGER

In 2011, I had attended an international conference on Intangible  Heritages of Kerala at Kaladi (birth place of Adi Shankaracharya), Kerala. Dr. Venugopal, DG, National Natural History Museum, New Delhi had organized the same. In that 5-day programme, the topic for one day was Kerala   Monsoon. It was very informative and interesting. Not only the eminent weather scientists but also traditional weather forecasters were also invited. When I heard some traditional weather forcasting data of the farmers, I was immediately reminded of Dak. I recited some of his couplets and the Keralites were surprised. When I informed them that just on the atmospheric condition of Shravan Shukla Saptami from the sunrise to the sunset, Dak could forecast the weather for the following one year on which the agriculture of Mithilanchal heavily depended round the year with nearly 90% exactness.
Since then I have been making hectic efforts to know more about this farmer astrologer. While I was a high school student in 1950s, I got a copy of Dak Vachnamrit which I got by rot within a week and retained for nearly two decades. Today I hardly remember his any prophetic poetry nor the booklet is available. Meanwhile, I have read materials on Dak in books of D.C. Sarkar, R.N. Tripathi and  Kapileshwar Jha (1905,Darbhanga) besides some tidbits from elsewhere. Through his extensive studies and on the spot visits, Dr Sarkar found Dak lore prevalent in entire north India from Assam to Rajasthan. I feel, agriculture being the mainstay of Indian economy till early 20th century and the same being heavily dependent on monsoon rains, in all geographical regions there must have been weather forcasters, commonaly known as Dak. Even today Shankaracharya has become an institution.
Somewhere Dak is known to be the son of Varahmihir whch is erroneous as he was living in 6th century AD. Some believe that the Ghagh tradition is also attributed to Dak. A few scholars believed that he was contemporary of Humayun and Akbar which also does not stand to the acid test of history. His sayings in local dialect also does not support this contention. With this elimination process, historians have given the verdict that there was no historical person by the name of Dak.
About the correctness of his unscientific forecasting, Dr. Sarkar had a solid proof. A farmer in Assam told him that he could make correct forcast of rains six months in advance. Explaining his methology, he explained that seeing the fog condition of the winter, according to his observatory calculations, rains would take place exactly after 190 days. The people around supported the claim. Similarly, despite being illiterate, Dak was a keen observer of cloud, sky, fog, wind conditions etc and made almost correct forecasts for the local farmers.
Some scholars have placed him in 14th/15th century. I personally believe that there was definitely a person named Dak in Mithilanchal as late as in 19th century AD. I know things since 1946. At that time, the old villagers had on their lips some chaupayees of Ramcharitmana, a few shlokas of Gita and Chanakya Nitidarpan, bhajans of Laxminath Gosain and Dak Vachnamrit. Sayings of Dak were available in pure Maithili. Somewhere I have read that he was a Maithil Brahman. But I differ.  At the end of one forecast, it is mentioned, ‘Kahi gel Dak gowar’. That clearly says that he was born in a Yadav agricultural family. ‘Kahe Dak sunu Dakni’ also makes it clear that he himself was also a family man. In his forecasts the names of dogs, cow , plough , bhat and several ethnic Mithili words support him being a Maithil. The language used by him is definitely different from Vidyapati Padavali of 14th century AD. So, I have guessed and placed him in 19th c. AD (subject to correction).
He is an asset of Mithila and it is our duty to research and re-establish him honourably.