THE REAL GOD OF ART: RAJA RAVI VARMA ‘The Forgotten Hero’

Here lies one who painted God and man alike,

Shed few tears on him, he was a real icon,

Painted noble ideas, he regarded as fun and service;

Thank the  lord he is still alive,

In his timeless, immortal paintings, this star of colours’

Death has to return from his doorstep.

Perhaps hardly anybody knows the Goddess Lakshmi that we pray to, on Diwali was designed by the Father of Modern Indian Art Raja Ravi Varma. The reason is not very difficult to understand. Indian media, academic and art world are in the grip of secularists and communists. For them, art begins and ends with controversial anti-Hindu painter M.F.Hussain. So Indians have almost forgotten the real God of art.

Recently celebrated filmmaker Ketan Mehta has made a film on Raja Ravi Varma, titled ‘Rang Rasiya’, starring Randeep Hooda. On Diwali, the wife of Ketan Mehta and Deepa Sahi, also a film producer, were performing Diwali puja, and as they stood in front of a big – beautiful framed image of Goddess Lakshmi with folded hands, trying to please her and to get Her blessings to come and visit their home, Ketan Mehta asked his wife about the painter of the picture of Goddess Lakshmi.

Ketan Mehta told his wife that this is the copy of the painting of the greatest artist on earth, Raja Ravi Varma's painting. It means that more than 150 crores of Hindu population worldwide bow their heads in front of his work and that makes him the single most popular artist on earth. So they decided to make a film of Raja Ravi Varma. Raja Ravi Varma has magical hands and magical creativity.

Unfortunately, in the nation, only those names are remembered who are connected with Dalit and Muslim vote banks or who are endorsed and propagated by the western world.  Raja Ravi Varma has none of such links, so this nation has almost forgotten him.

Without any confusion and dispute, Raja Ravi Varma is the Father of Indian Art. The government should establish at least a University of Fine Arts in his name.

He has many things to his name and credit:

1. THE FIRST ARTIST/PAINTER TO GIVE SHAPE/FACES TO THE HINDU GODS: Before him, there were no uniform shape or faces of Hindu Gods and Goddesses and there used to be different types of statues and figures made of clay. But Raja Ravi Varma gave excellent shape and faces to Hindu Gods and Goddesses. It is the most powerful contribution to Indian civilisation and culture.
2. HE BROUGHT SECULARISM AND EQUALITY IN THE HINDU SOCIETY: He made it possible to all, including Harijans or low caste Hindus to pray in front of the pictures and statues of Hindu Gods and Goddesses. In other words, he was a real harbinger of secularism and equality much before modern day so called messiah of secularism and social justice.
3. HE WAS THE REAL BRAIN BEHIND THE CREATION OF SARI, NATIONAL ATTIRE OF INDIAN WOMEN: This is the most surprising reality. Raja Ravi Varma created and developed the fashion of Indian Sari.
4. HE WAS THE FATHER OF THE ART OF CALENDAR:  He was the first commercial artist who brought out Gods, Goddesses, temples and great men out of temples, books and museum. He printed them on sweet (mithai) and match boxes, calendars, posters, saris, sign boards, etc., so that common man can see them.
5. THE FIRST TO MAKE POSTERS FOR THE FILMS: He was the first famous and important painter who started, painting film posters.
6. INVENTOR AND THE FIRST ARTIST/PAINTER TO START COLOUR PRINTING AND  COLOUR PRINTING PRESS:  He brought technology into art and painting and became the first man to have started a colour printing press and colour printing.
7. THE HIGHEST PRICED INDIAN ARTIST/PAINTER:  His paintings have got as high as Rs. 30/= crore, highest price for any Indian piece of art, own his own,  without any promotion or endorsements.
8. A SPECIAL POST OFFICE TO HANDLE HIS MAILS ONLY:  He was so popular a figure that he would get loads of fan mails forcing the then British government to have opened a special post office only to handle his mail.
9. HE WAS THE FIRST INDIAN TO BE AWARDED THE HIGHEST CIVILIAN AWARD ‘KAISAR-E-HIND’ BY THE THEN BRITISH GOVERNMENT:  The then British government acknowledged his merit and contribution to the field of art by awarding the highest civilian award’ Kaisar-E-Hind’ But the secular Indian government is yet to acknowledge his merits and contribution.
10. THE GREAT GRAND-FATHER OF INDIAN CINEMA: It is a well-known fact that Dadasaheb Phalke is considered the father of Indian cinema and in the film industry the highest award is in the name of Dadasaheb Phalke. But nobody knows that Dadasaheb Phalke started his career as a trainee under Raja Ravi Varma.

DR.S.RADHAKRISHAN

Dr S.Radhakrishan (1888-1975), was one of the greatest and most learned scholars on Hindu philosophy of the twentieth century, not only in India but all over the world. He had deep knowledge of both, the eastern and western philosophical thoughts and traditions. In his research work and commentaries, he touched various fields and works, such as the Vedas, Upanishads, the Bhagavad-Gita, Jainism, Buddhism, Plato, Kant, Marxism and Existentialism. He graced the office of the President of India from 1962 to 1967; which was otherwise marred by the controversies and was occupied by the persons of not so high in stature, after his departure from this highest office. He was very aptly suited to play the role of philosopher king as great philosopher Plato has described. His is the great and tough journey of a poor Brahmin boy, from an unknown remote village of Andhra Pradesh to the President House via Oxford. Like the universe, he gave a positive message to the world. Every morning sun says, “Wake up like me.” Sky says, “Aim my heights.” The Wind says, “Refresh like me.”  This phrase is very aptly applicable to him.

You are born without anything, but you die with a name, but that name should not be a word only, it must be a history. In the case of Dr.S.Radhakrishan, this famous phrase is totally applicable. Born, in an unknown village, Tiruttan, Andhra Pradesh, on 5, September 1988, in a very poor Brahman family, and like most of the Brahmans, he had a very difficult childhood and spent all his childhood in abject poverty. He received his early schooling at his native village and higher schooling, at Lutheran Mission School, Tirupati. He did his graduation, from Christian College Madras, with philosophy and Logic as his subjects. He chose ‘Ethics of the Vedanta’ as the topic for his thesis for his M.A., which he passed with distinction. He had great desire to go to Oxford University but was unable to materialise it, due to financial hardships.  Due to financial hardships, he started teaching as an assistant lecturer at the Madras Presidency College, in 1909. He was an excellent teacher and his students were enthralled with his lecturers.

 

 TEACHER-A GUIDE TO MANKIND

He teaches us to learn in silence, while he talks;

He teaches tolerance, while he is intolerant to hawks.

He teaches kindness, while he is unkindest to wrongs;

Teaches and guides the world with lofty thoughts.

With his lofty sermons, unlocks newer paths moving;

Denounces his pleasures for pupils’ mirth growing,

With patience and sacrifice, broods nation building:

For the success of others, teaches his living.

For him, his pupils are his bank, with precious treasure;

With his wisdom deep, motivates us and inspire:

A teacher is a director, a creator and never ending pleasure:

An artist, a kingmaker and a philosopher:

He is a real hero of beguiling society, without wing:

Clears darkness of mind and ushering spring.

          At that time teachers were very poorly paid in India. Moreover in Christian colleges teachers were subjected to all type of difficult service conditions. As a result of such conditions, he had to take up tuitions to supplement his meagre salary and family. Even then he could not overcome the financial constraints and had to sell his all the gold medals and other medals, he had won for his academics excellence. On the suggestion of a good-wisher who was very well familiar with his talent Dr Radhakrishan published his lectures on Psychology in a book form, ‘The Essentials of Psychology.’ The book was highly popular but again he had sold off its copyright for a poor sum of Rs. 500, to clear debts. All these problems could not stop his march. He believed that gates of life open to a happy tomorrow, leads to a world of joy, decorating the life with abounding happiness. Life takes to a beautiful world but only for those who walk with an aim, run with confidence and play with achievements. 

          In 1918, Dr.S.Radhakrishnan was selected Professor of Philosophy at the University of Mysore. He wrote his first book, ‘The Philosophy of Rabindranath ‘Tagore’ in 1918.  The book was a great success and Dr.S.Radhakrishnan became an international name. In 1921, the academic dynamic vice-chancellor of Calcutta University recognised the merit and talent of   Dr.S.Radhakrishnan and offered the highly prestigious post of Professor of Philosophy, at Calcutta University.

         

Dr.S.Radhakrishnan brought out his magnum creation, ‘Indian Philosophy’ in 1923 which was recognised as “a philosophic classic and a literary masterpiece.” With the publication of this book, Indian and Hindu philosophy was recognised as a very important and rich branch of learning. In 1929, his lifelong cherished desire was fulfilled when he was invited to deliver the Upton Lectures, at Harris Manchester College, Oxford, on ‘The Hindu View of Life’. The poor Brahmin boy of Tiruttan mesmerised the listeners.  His merit and talent were immediately recognised by the British scholars. There, a millionaire philanthropist was deeply impressed by his mesmerising and captivating lectures. He created and financed a post of a professor for Dr.S.Radhakrishnan, to teach Eastern Religion and Ethics, at the University of Oxford. Dr.S.Radhakrishnan was the first Indian to have been honoured to get the Professorship at Oxford. Similarly, Dr.S.Radhakrishnan had a unique achievement; he held two important chairs, simultaneously, in two different continents: One at Oxford; and the other at the University of Calcutta.

TEACHER: SOLDIER WITH A PEN

Teacher is a soldier with a pen and an eternal guide

Lighting wisdom to mind decayed and white,

Floating tirelessly till dark with no pride,

Without fear and favour telling tales bright.

To clean the dirt river flows and air floats,

To vibrate heart and mind he gloats.

‘Tween goddess Saraswati and man he is linking milk,

Giving life to the world with deepest think.

As blessed banyan with roots, side by side,

Withstand winter, storm, wind and tide,

Beauty he admires and goodness wide,

Word and language such as teacher ride,

He will turn dust to gold if his ways not hide,

And rake a soul with favourite manifold glide.

          Dr.S.Radhakrishnan has very aptly described Indian and Hindu spirituality as the perfect growth of soul in a continuous manner i.e. from age to age, in pursuit of goodness and truth. It is for all types of persons, from sages, who have renounced the life, to common man and woman, engaged in the normal pursuit of life, the rishis, the Vedas and the Upanishads delved deeper into the mysteries of nature and life and discovered the true purpose and meaning of life. While translating the Bhagavad-Gita, he clears the puzzle about the multiplicity and supremacy of gods, immortality and transmigration of the soul,. Lord Krishna tells Arjuna in the Bhagavad-Gita that he (Arjuna) need not bother himself with the multiplicity and huge variety of gods. What he should concern himself with, is that God exists and every atom of us and that is all outside us and sustains the universe that He has created.

            Dr.S.Radhakrishnan was a great and multidimensional personality- a great philosopher, an expert on Hinduism, prolific writer, voracious reader, powerful and excellent orator, an educationist of superb calibre, administrator, great patriot and man. His life-long commitment to education continued to influence and shapes the Indian academic world after the independence. For his great scholarly and philosophic achievements Dr.S.Radhakrishnan was also in the shortlisted list for the award of prestigious Nobel Prize for Philosophy in 1937 but unfortunately could not get it. From 1939 to 1948 he graced the world famed University Benaras Hindu University as its Vice-Chancellor.

          When he took up the teaching job at Oxford University, in England, a close friend of Dr.S.Radhakrishnan reminded him that he could emulate America’s Woodrow Wilson’s rise from professorship to President Ship. That prophecy-cum joke came true; he became the second President of the Indian Republic on May 13, 1962, after Dr Rajendra Prasad. He proved;

TEACHING IS A ---

Teaching is not a profession,

It is a holy vocation,

It is a divine mission,

It needs committing attention.

Honest teacher earns admiration,

It gives dull and empty mind inspiration,

Helps sleeping cells get stimulation,

Right, and proper teaching is a transformation.

Teaching is the strongest pillar of education,

It widens and matures imagination,

From slavery and darkness, it is liberation,

Enlarges mental horizon and sharpens comprehension.

It is a challenging task for modulation,

It stops the diversion of attention,

It sustains eminent position,

It compels of man’s inner realisation.

The accent should not be on examination,

Good teaching requires higher imagination,

Good teacher is a temptation,

It is the architect of a nation.

After independence in 1947, the then Prime Minister Shri Jawaharlal Nehru appointed his sister Smt. Vijay Laxmi Pundit as the ambassador to U.S.S.R., but she completely failed to impress and tackle rude and arrogant man like Stalin. Nehru and his left advisors suggested appointing Dr S.Radhakrishnan, as India’s ambassador to U.S.S.R and in 1949; Dr S. Radhakrishan was chosen to replace Smt Pundit as India’s envoy to the Soviet Union. They wanted to lower the stature of Dr.S.Radhakrishnan. Everybody was apprehensive of Nehru’s decision, that a soft philosopher like him be able to tackle a difficult and tough man like Stalin. But Dr S. Radhakrishnan was like tea bags whose strength comes out when it is put in hot water, so when problems haunt you, just think you must be God’s dearest cup like tea. In the Soviet Union he worked as the most favourite creation of God. 

It was to everybody’s surprise that Stalin was charmed by this great philosopher. In a lecture on Hindu philosophy, Stalin listened Dr.S.Radhakrishnan. After that meeting, Stalin almost became a disciple of Dr.S.Radhakrishnan. At the time of Dr Radhakrishan’s departure from U.S.S.R. to India, Stalin expressed his wish to see him. Dr Radhakrishan met him and before leaving, he patted Stalin on the cheek and back like a father blessing his son. Stalin almost in tears and reacted emotionally, “you are the first person who has treated me like a human being and not like a monster-you are leaving and I am sad.”

It is said that Stalin offered Dr Radhakrishan as honorary citizenship of Soviet Union and was ready to appoint Dr S Radhakrishan as Cultural Minister of Soviet Union. But patriotism in Dr Radhakrishan did not allow accepting this offer.  If he has accepted this offer perhaps, Stalin would have converted to Hinduism and the Soviet Union would have been a Hindu country.

A similar thing happened when Dr.S.Radhakrishnan met Mao Tse-tung President of China. He gave a mild slap or pat on the cheek of President Mao. Mao felt uncomfortable on this. On this Dr.S.Radhakrishnan replied with a smile that he did the same thing with Stalin and Pope.

During the making of the Indian constitution, a very interesting argument took place between Pt.Nehru and famous scholar-poet Shri Raghupati Sahay  (28 August 1896 – 3 March 1982), better known under his pen name Firaq Gorakhpuri. A lobby headed by Nehru and supported by Ambedkar himself wanted to thrust English as a national link language. Firaque opposed this proposal. He argued that in India only two and a half people know English.  Pt.Nehru asked very curiously about the name of those two and a half persons, thinking that he must be one out of two and a half. Firaque said sarcastically that the first name was Dr.Radhakrishnan and second he himself and Pt.Nehru half.

On his return to India, Dr Radhakrishanan became the first vice-president of India. After Dr Rajendra Prasad, he became the second President of India. After the shameful defeat on India by China in 1962, Nehru was totally a broken and shattered man. In the critical hour, Dr Radhakrishanan gave India excellent leadership and filled that vacuum, created by the failure of Shri Jawaharlal Nehru. The depth of your personality is revealed when you respond to the situation you dislike. In this difficult hour Nehru failed and shamed the nation but D. Radhakrishnan excelled. In one sentence he concluded the entire age of Pt. Jawahar Lal Nehru, “Nehru was a great man, but greater was his failures.”

When his tenure as the President was completed in 1967n nobody wanted to give Dr.S.Radhakrishnan the much needed second term because he dwarfed all other in the Congress. It was due to the political and vote bank manipulations and compulsions and Islam-centric secular politics, this great son of India was denied the second term as the President of India and much lower in calibre and personality Dr Zakir Hussein replaced him as the president of India. It was a very sad commentary on Indian politics and Indian model of secularism. 

To pay respect and homage to this great son of India, the nation celebrates his birthday on September 5, as Teacher’s Day. For his great achievements and for his services to the nation, he was felicitated with the nation’s highest civil honour, the Bharat Ratna, in 1954.It was indeed a great achievement for a poor Brahman boy of Tiruttani to rise to these heights under difficult and hostile conditions. After this honour nation forgot him. He passed away on April 17, 1975. His death was not only mourned in India, but also in America, Europe, Asia and Africa. Almost entire world joined together to express its sadness at this great loss.

After thirty-two years of his death entire world started celebrating Teachers’ Day. On 5, October 1994, representatives of one hundred countries met in Paris, during a UNESCO-EIE (Education International), summit and signed an agreement unanimously to celebrate Teachers’ Day on 5, October, every year.

References/Sources;

1.     S. Lal, 50 Magnificent Indians of the 20^th Century, Jaico.  

2.     LOK SEVAK SANGH, vol.15, No. 148, September 2008, p-5-6.

3.     Danik Jagran, New Delhi,

4.     Times of India, New Delhi.

Farmers’ Suicide and Politics of Freebies: Destroyer Boasting as Liberator

Nowadays, suicides by farmers are almost dominating the media space in India. In this, Indian politicians, intellectuals, NGOs, activists etc. have also been super active in showing their concern for farmers. Farmers say that they are finding it hard to face the cost of farming due to mounting prices. So they take loans from banks and other financial institutions. It is clear that farmers are ignored both by society as well as by the government and policy makers. So they have only one easy option, suicide.
A farmer is treated very callously in India. There are thousands of special schemes for the welfare of big vote banks, like Dalits and Muslims but hardly any scheme for farmers.
Farmers have no fixed income means. Moreover, they are very simple. Hence they are easily deceived by bank officials, corrupt bureaucrats, private money lenders and land sharks. Even it can be said that they are all united in repressing and tormenting the helpless and unfortunate farmers. When there are no other avenues left, they have to surrender to these corrupt and repressing agents, unaware of the fact that he is meeting his own death.
A farmer has so many worries and stresses to finish his life as there is no hope and happiness left as his domestic and social life is totally distraught by unending poverty and want. This is very sad and painful that for them only suicide is the only solution left for all the problems. There is no one to solve their problems, neither the government nor the society.
For a farmer, their life journey is very tough, lengthy and tiresome. There is hardly any pleasure and comfort in their destiny. Above all, there is no help from any private or government agency. His life is dull and blank. There is no space for fulfilment and joy like a crematorium with line after line of dead corpse burning like the fire of hell or underworld. His heart sinks when he sees the people hale and hearty on his produce but he is left to die.
The government machinery is also very harsh with the farmers. Apart from poverty, droughts and floods, the farmers are also harassed by courts, banks, and money lenders. His dear farms are like graveyards and crematorium to him. When he does not get a good price for his produce, the harvest is like a carcas, produced on his ashes. Frustrated, his favourite prayer has become, “Oh God! Come and lift me….Oh, God! Oh God!”... He always pines and prays.
The government can stop the suicide by farmers by starting a farmer pension scheme. But hardly anything is done.  Suicide by farmers due to debt and poverty is the saddest and most unfortunate part of any government and society because it can be prevented by initiating welfare measures. It is a very famous quote that farmers are born in debt, live in debt and die in debt. This is a very harsh reality in the Indian context. Almost all the farmers in every state and village are under debt but nothing is done for poor, innocent and helpless farmers.
After independent so many draconian anti- farmer acts came into existence like Abolition of Zamindari (Landlord) system, Land Ceiling Act, Rent Control Act, Chakbandi Act, Land Acquisition Act, etc. These acts brought disaster to farmers and villagers. With the implementation of draconian anti-farmers acts ‘Abolition of Zamindari (Landlord) System, so called’ all the big farmers became beggars with the stroke of a pen. Their land was declared surplus and snatched by the government. Rest of the destruction was done by the Land Ceiling Act. Under these black acts, the so-called surplus lands were snatched from the farmers, without paying a single penny to the farmers as compensation and distributed by political parties to their vote banks. These acts made farmers almost beggars within a night. Ironically, all these acts were brought by Congress, Communists and other secular and socialist parties, who are now trying to show themselves as the messiah of farmers.
Poverty clubbed with government cruelty pushes the farmers to the edge and ultimately forces him to commit suicide. Small land holdings and the cruelty of the government machinery, supported by anti-farmer draconian acts are mainly responsible for a miserable lot of the farmers which led them to suicide. Politicians, bureaucrats, media and intellectuals try to show the suicide of farmers as a puzzle but it is not a puzzle but very simple to understand. They try to hide their callousness under the dark cloud of fake intellectualism. Farmers do the work in fields. So they are ignorant how tricky and unkind is the outer world. When a farmer is trapped in the vicious racket of debt then it is impossible for him to cross the bar safely. Nobody is helpful to the poor and helpless farmer. All want to snatch his dear land.
Even the National Crime Register is not honest in its reports. According to its reports, two highest causes for suicides in India are family problem and health. But the callous babus and intellectuals forgot to mention the poverty and debt of farmers another big cause in their study.
When it comes to farmers, the chain of poverty, poor health, family needs, government indifference, brutal system, corruption, floods, droughts and suicide is very harsh realities. Bank loans are usually cleared off after great difficulty. There are also other family pressures like education, health trouble, court cases etc. Each of these acts as a brutal assault on indebted farmer but health and financial demands most are most malicious and painful of them all.
With great fanfare government framed some acts to help the farmers. But these acts brought more disasters to the farmers. Chakbandi Act, Ownership to Bataidar and Pettedars Acts etc. can be put in this category. Under Chakbandi Act, the government tried to give farmers land at a single place instead of different places. But this act threw farmers in unending litigations and gripped by the jaws of corruption. Poor farmers were exploited by the cruel justice system. Even some vote-hungry governments, such as communist government in Bengal, gave ownership rights to Bataidar and Pettedars.
Under Ownership to Bataidar and Pettedars Acts, so called surplus land was distributed among the landless farmers. But actually, it was distributed among the vote banks. This act again brought more disaster, clashes and legal hassles to the farmers.
Similarly, Rent Control Act is also a tool for the harassment for farmers. Under this act the old and ancestral property is allotted to the tenants on a very low rent by corrupt government officials and farmer is denied both the possession of his property as well as good rent.
All such anti-farmer acts were brought by non-BJP governments who are claiming now as the saviours of farmers.
It is very true and shocking that suicides by farmers in India are much higher than the general average. It is surprising that the rich states like Maharashtra, Punjab and Andhra are on top on this data. Poor states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Bengal or Orissa must have serious poverty but much lower suicide rates than Maharashtra or Punjab. Perhaps the shame of debt is much serious in these states.
Farmers everywhere, borrow money from their relatives and friends. They adopt this measure after banks and private moneylenders refused them down. But the sense of shame is much more in these rich states.
Things get worse if the farmer failed to repay the debt in time. He is like an out-caste in family functions, marriages and local meetings and gatherings. But in North Indian states of UP, Bihar, Bengal or Orissa has no such morals. Perhaps this may be the reason of low incidence of farmers’ suicide in the poverty-stricken sick states.
It is then not just the callous and laughing world outside the home, but a poor farmer’s loss of self-respect as head of the family that makes a debt-ridden farmer impossible to live.
Today farmers need special protection. First, anti-farmers acts like Abolition of Zamindari ( Landlord ) System’, Land Ceiling Act, Chakbandi Act, Ownership to Bataidar and Pettedars Acts, Rent Control Act etc., must be repealed. Farmers must get quotas and reservation in education, employment and government schemes. Special rural and agriculture banks should be opened to give farmers loan on easy conditions.
Most of the time farmers have to face droughts and floods. Governments can very easily solve these problems and help the farmers. The government must construct dams, check dams, Link Rivers and harvest rain waters. These measures will solve the problems of drought, floods and water shortage permanently. River beds, river catchment areas, ponds, water bodies, meadows, etc all are encroached by the land mafia or distributed by the politicians to their vote banks so hardly any land is left as meadows for animals.
Governments must establish rural and agriculture based industries and give 100% reservation to farmers in such industries. These measures will give farmers employments and side income. Farmers who are completely depended on agriculture should be given agriculture pension, quotas and reservation in jobs and education.
For Hindus, agriculture is a service to God and humanity. It is not a business or profession. Similarly, the land is dear to farmers like mother or God. Earlier animals were available at a low price but now most of the milk-producing animals and animals used in agriculture are slaughtered. So now the price of animals is very high.
Only then farmers may not think ‘What an unlucky hour it was when he was born in a farmer’s family, and invited my own ruin!’ A long chain of disappointment and cruelty has brought the farmers to this ill-fated pass. For a farmer, this is not a kind nation!

Non- Violent Cultures

A big debate is going on in India over the holy cow. There is nothing new in this debate. Many nations and many cultures prohibit the killing and eating of a community animal, considered as useful or holy.

Now from all corners of the country, people are demanding to declare cow as a ‘National Anima.’ Even famous Muslim leader and the president of the Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind, Maulana Syed Ashrad Madani also asked the government to ‘declare cow as a national animal.’ Both the sides, secularists and nationalist have mislaid concerns and this is bad for the nation.  The secularists want to pamper minorities, mainly Muslims, whereas nationalist move according to the sentiments of Hindus.

Here it would be in the fitness of things to check the arguments of that lobby that ban on cow slaughter is against secularism and freedom of eating. Hindus are not allowed to kill the cow and eat beef but it is not written that Muslims must kill the cow and eat beef. Islam and secularism will not be in danger if Muslims do not get beef to eat. In fact, a number of most delicious foods of Muslims from Awadh, Hyderabad, Kashmir and Bengal are mutton based and, in all such examples, the specialists would be disgusted to see cow meat in the pot.

The worshipping of an animal is not solely a Hindu custom. For Egyptian belief system, the cat is sacred; the Zoroastrians, like the Hindus, worship the ox as their prophet used to worship; the Native Americans give the eagle a special place and no one is allowed to kill it. The turtle is also an entity of worship among many peoples and cultures, ancient and modern.

Similarly, in a number of cultures and countries, it is banned to kill the emblem or the symbol of the community or the nation, be it an animal or a plant; at times also an object or creature no one has ever seen. The Chinese have a near totemic relationship with the dragon, Czechs with a double-tailed lion, but none of these animals actually exist. Humans and nature work together in ways more composite than the intricacies between “us” and “them”.

In, 24 out of 29 Indian states; cow slaughter and beef are banned and punishable. The Constitution also directs the government to protect the cow. A number of secular and democratic countries have banned other varieties of meat for grounds not always religious. But, when the laws disallow the eating, or slaughter, of a certain animal, then it is applicable to every citizen, without exception. The dog meat is banned in the secular and democratic nations like Germany, Britain, Ireland, France, South Australia, with some other nations. The dog meat is also banned in six states in America. Even dog farming is treated as a crime that planting a dog for a meal is now treated as a dreadful crime in many nations.

Now even Taiwan, which is a very modern and liberal nation, has banned the sale of dog meat. Even, in China now dog meat is abhorred. It is an effect on the one-child policy which allocates for more time, room and emotional space for raising a pet. Under these circumstances, the dog, inevitably, is the most fashionable choice in lots of homes.

Slaughtering and consumption of a horse were not appreciated in America. Today, though, there is a detailed law against horse meat in the US and there is nothing religious behind this, although over 600 years back Pope Gregory II had taught St Boniface to crusade against horse meat, but when the last horse slaughterhouse was closed in America in 2007, no one kept in mind what a Pope had once taught.

The horse, the ox, the dog, the cat, are treated as useful in many cultures and nations, which is why killing and eating them is just uncivilised, barbaric, but illegal too. The sentiment may be religion, or because of a certain affection towards a species. But whenever this prohibition is in place, the arm of the law is equally strong and ruthless. Under these conditions, no mercy would be shown to the killers. Simply they will be treated as a criminal. Unlike India, nobody will support such criminals.

If Hindus are demanding the total ban on cow slaughter and sealing of slaughterhouses, there is nothing wrong in this. Hindus have a long history of non-violence. As a result of this, in India, even all type of dissections is banned in labs even for educational purposes and researches. Now even earthworms, cockroaches, rats, fish, frog, monkey, etc., cannot be dissected. As a result of this in the field of education and research nation is suffering very heavily.

Similarly, medicinal tests, pharmaceutical tests etc., on insects and animals like rats, monkeys, horses, frogs, dogs, etc., are also banned in India. As a result of all these bans country has been suffering. Education, research all have been suffering very heavily. Academicians, researchers, and scientists are working under tremendous pressure on account of such bans.

Similarly, animal shows in circuses are also banned. Even jugglers cannot keep animals like monkeys, bear, and even snakes. As a result of this lakhs of people lost their livelihood.

They all supported the killings of animals in slaughter houses. They never care that since the late-1990s, animal rights fighters have succeeded in banning the long-established arts in India that expertise in training animals for shows as a means of living. There was a time when snake charmers and Baazigars would be sent to international fairs as emissaries of India’s conventional art forms.

But when the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 was extended to these communities, they became criminals and law breakers. With one blow of the pen, their centuries-old art forms came to be treated as an unlawful activity, without even bother to offer them any alternative means of employment for survival.

Rural and ancient animal games like Jallikuttu, Kambala, bull cart race etc are also banned. But secularists, communists and Islamists support the killings of animals in slaughter houses. They never care that since the late-1990s, animal rights fighters have succeeded in banning the long-established arts in India that expertise in training animals for shows as a means of living. There was a time when snake charmers and Baazigars would be sent to international fairs as emissaries of India’s conventional art forms.

But when the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972 was extended to these communities, they became criminals and law breakers. With one blow of the pen, their centuries-old art forms came to be treated as an unlawful activity, without even bother to offer them any alternative means of employment for survival. Even, there was an almost total ban on non-Muslims to get any meal in the hostel mess of Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh. Indians and especially Hindus accepted all these regulations.

It is surprising that for Indian secularists, communists, multiculturalists, Islamists and media, only concern is Muslims and Muslim nations where there is no respect for secularism, multiculturalism, human rights, democracy and non-violence can be seen.

In India, sadly, few ‘gau rakshaks’ (Cow protectors) often set out to protect cows, to create terror among cow slaughterers. Secularists, Communists and Islamists on the other hand, frequently end up coming in support of slaughters. When gau rakshas take law into their own hands they should be punished for their crimes. At the same time arguing that eating beef is a democratic right is just stupid.

To insist on beef in India, in the name of secularism and right of food, is just as ridiculous as demanding a dog or horse in a New York or Taiwan restaurant. All that is outlawed and punishable, need not be holy!

A Tormented Self

Trapped amid the disparity and the transcendent,
Amid the joy of the self and guilt.
Amid the demon and merciful Almighty,
Amid the wide divine revelation
And low sordid gulf.
My most wild naughty identity,
Up rises inside when the layers of blessings,
Wraps my external self-seeking identity.
It declines to be cowed,
Prays to be a weird self-seeking soul.
Prognostic a hideous thumb
With a prodding, snivelled up nose,
Silly on the pussy rotting injuries,
Those decline to get cured,.
Regardless, of the finest remedy and cure.
I plead to the All-merciful Goddess of Love Venus,
To bless me with heroic vigour,
To tame the ruthless internal devil,
That has widened its limbs,
Similar to a deadly tumour to gulp my-self
And suck the last drop of my blood

And annihilate me forever and forever

Life – To Surrender

She is the zest of my existence,

I blissfully surrender all,

The regrets she thumps,

On my bald-flat-grey head.

She outperforms me and represents;

Every instant of ecstasy from me

Yet she exposes my crabbiness

But I need to yield

My purse, my preferences

My free will and my manners

Of moving, along wildly.

If I need to experience the darling,

I need to accept the throbs.

A rose is always surrounded by thorns.

O, My Love!

The pink panorama Sun is sinking low,

Rainbows colours are slowly vanishing,

Birds are flying back to their cosy nests,

And the tired shepherd, with his flocks,

Striding, back to his pasture.

The shadows are longer and longer,

My longing for my darling is higher and higher,

My pulses, my pains are on fire,

O, My Beloved! Show your glance and countenance.

Before, the soft gleaming lamp is put to rest.

The gloomy nights weaken my optimism,

My longing to melt in you

Has brought never-ending tears to drop,

Freezing winds cannot calm my ache,

For my multi coloured love, to blossom eternally.

Holy Times

Spring Period is the Holy Period.

Multiplicity of flowers, blossom;

In the fields, full of happiness and peace

It is pleasant Falgun, to cherish deeply

The burning of schemer Holika

To purify and wash the world

And people of their sins and evils.  

Spring Period is holy period,

To celebrate the Basant Panchmi,  

Happiness and serenity have regenerated

To swell in the Mother Earth,

With ecstasy, grace and eternal bliss.

N.B. 

1- Falgun - Phalguna is the 12th lunar month in Hindu calendar.

2- Holi- Holi is a Hindu festival. Holi is also known as the festival of colours. On this day people throw coloured powder and coloured water on each other.

3-Basant Panchami - the day is dedicated to Saraswati, the Goddess of knowledge, music, arts, science and technology. Goddess Saraswati is worshipped on Vasant Panchami day. Vasant Panchami is also known as Shri Panchami and Saraswati Panchami.

Mighty Mother

My dawn, my life, my years;

My expansion, my first grin, my first delight;

My embrace, kissing, my first affection;

All I got in my mother's womb.

Sucking her breast, in her lap;

My first uttering of words, my creeping;

My talk, walk, hawk, joke - all from my mother;

My best self-played in the best cradle of the universe - in her bosom.

All my wishes, breathing, my coloured future;

Rotates about my mother, my best self;

My divine only creator, my pant;

My existence is from her all eternally.

I own my progress, pleasures to her lap,

She sings songs of enchantment, make cheery;

Her company is a treasure of joy and bliss;

Seem, paradise, bliss and blessings rest in her lap.