The Parody of Our Melody
Greed and power has corrupted society, and we cannot recognize the original melody, writes PETER FERNANDES
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It is an empirical experience, as well as a scientific confirmation, that everything in the cosmos is connected to each other with precise accuracy for a perfect harmony. The whole universe is tuned in such a way by the “unmoved mover,” that if there the slightest diversion from its course, a great disruption will result. Philosophers delved deeply into this mystery to create awareness for humans to conduct themselves to achieve the highest goal, on earth and hereafter. Therefore, the thought process of communities should be in conformity with the rhythm of the natural world in order to perceive the wisdom of the Creator, and desire to possess it for peaceful and purposeful living. If we aren’t wise to learn this valuable lesson, it would produce a parody of our melody. The captivating melody of Goa, which was created by its natural beauty and peace loving people, has rather hastily lost its charm, in the last few decades. During Goa’s yesteryears, this melody resounded far and wide, with creative notes on its scale, the notes of peace and harmony, welcoming all to partake of sublime dwelling, and encounter the bliss that refreshes a restless soul. Being aware or unaware, is not the question. The disintegration of this scale would have adverse consequences for the present generation, and the musical notes of their heritage would be lost for the generations to come. It is imperative to maintain the rhythm of life, to sustain the dynamic of the community to achieve prosperity for all, drawing citizens together to dance to the “Great Harmony” of nature and all creation. However, if some decide to compose their own selfish rhythm, and impose it on the rest of the community without properly fashioning the notes on the scale for all to read and follow, chaos ensues and the entire orchestra falls apart.
The PWD Minister, Mr. Churchill Alemao, who masquerades as the saviour of Goa, has proved on several occasions, just the opposite. Churchill Alemao’s entry into the political world itself is a question mark, which he should have pondered on and corrected long ago. He is responsible for the parody of our political melody, ever since he wedged himself into Goa’s political circle, as we call him the Ex Chief Minister of Goa. Although, the PWD Minister defiles the formal education required for the political position he holds, he is able to muscle the will of Goans on his own terms. In the process, all wisdom is lost in the chaotic world of deception created by our corrupt politicians, leading Goans to dance to a different beat out of fear and nepotism. The recent headline “Churchill backs Raheja’s project,” does not surprise me, and should not surprise the well informed people of Goa. He is concerned about the builders, who fill their pockets extravagantly; but the pocket of wellbeing for Goa, no one fills, and he is not bothered about the hole that remains there. Still, he wants to come across as a saviour. The PWD Minister said he strongly demanded that Chief Minister, Digambar Kamat, come out with a policy on mega housing projects, even as “he favoured low cost housing to meet the requirements of the common man.” What caused the hike in land prices and houses in Goa in the first place? Is he attuned to the cry of the common man? Now, he envisions the common man as security guards; watchmen to provide security for the rich immigrants. The road to hell is paved with good intentions. Goans, be prepared to take on this new profession, and be ready to dance to the music of your saviour: “Save Goa Front.”
The Deputy Speaker of Goa brazenly discriminated against Goans for their lack of intuition to appreciate and admire the sublime beauty of Goa, during his birthday celebration, in Velsao. He said that outsiders are happy and excited to have a glimpse of its loveliness, even if it is through a small window. Besides being obstinate, he denied the fact that Goa’s beauty consists of sublime nature, and, the warm peace loving people, who inhabited this land. He praised one construction firm for selecting the most attractive spots to sell the view of Goa. He is the same minister who claims innocence by citing ignorance of the law, as he shells out crores of rupees worth of electricity of private firms. All this is at the cost of depriving revenue to the State, and limiting the supply of efficient electricity to our citizens. This is not a triviality, but a tragedy. Who in their right mind wants to deprive the State of its revenue, and divest the citizens? As expected, the payback received by the ministers from these firms has not been revealed. It is left to speculation, which means , it may or may not be true, for we are not attuned to listen to that kind of music from its core. I request Goans to perfect the break-dance, as electricity continues to play hide and seek in your homes, while big brother sways to a different rhythm.
The Chief Minister, Mr. Digambar Kamat, calls himself an “aam admi,” but he has barricaded himself with several layers of protection to keep you, the common man, away from approaching him with your woes. His statement, “I am not dependent on your votes” is a direct slap on the face of the aam admi. Goans should realise that their government is not for them, but for the lobbies and vote banks, it has created. He has learnt to masquerade as a common man to his own advantage, but he knows how to keep them at bay. You need not surmise, but verify the past. He left BJP brigade not with an honourable discharge, but kept them at bay to lick their wounds for his own selfishness. Today, he sits on both, money power and vote banks, which is why he is not bothered about what you think or say. He is the new conductor of the orchestra, and the melody has changed into parody, making him smile gleefully from the helm, at your misery. What arrogance and ignorance of the PWD Minister to seek help from the Chief Minister for the construction lobby. What a joke! How could Digambar Kamat deny assistance to this lobby, when he himself is a builder? This is just an eyewash for the common man, to silence him. The moment people stop agitating against the “Mega Housing Project,” all hell will break loose!
Goa has lost its charm, and the music is no longer soothing the soul, for the notes are flat, and strident chords create cacophony. The restlessness in our society is the new scale of musical notes invented by our politicians. Those who can beat their drums can get on their bandwagon. But caution! Their excursion will not be a joyful ride, since it is not designed by the “Fine Tuner.” Greed and power has corrupted every fibre of our society that we cannot recognize the original melody. Unless, we learn to discern the voice of the “Fine Tuner,” who gives us the great harmony vital for growth of nature and life, our future is bleak, and our end is uncertain. We might have to dance to the “Parody of the Melody,” for the rest of our lives.
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Marriage individual or Social Choice?
By Sajla Chawla
The daughters of Eve and the sons of Adam – from where then, does caste come into this idyllic paradigm? Or was caste born, along with sin and suffering, when the fall occurred and Man was sent out of paradise? Seems likely; caste surely is sinful and makes one suffer terribly!
Young lovers in Haryana have been suffering the brunt of it and paying with their lives. The Khap’s logic is that people from the same gotra are like siblings and their union would be incestuous. Well, caste, sub caste and gotras were formulated during the post-Vedic period in India and since then many permutations and combinations have taken place in marriages.
Racial or class purity has dwindled or rather paradoxically flourished into dilution and variety of offspring. The chances of the same genetic material overlapping, even among the marriages within the same gotra are very small. But if we were to use the logic of the Khap panchayats, we might not marry or mate at all, since all daughters of Eve are sisters to all sons of Adam!
While this logic can contribute phenomenally to the thrust of family planning, as did the ghastly forcible vasectomies during the Sanjay Gandhi tyranny during the Emergency in 1975-76, it does little for people who fall in love without first contriving to checking their caste, sub caste and gotra! The very concept of caste in a marriage becomes important, especially in villages and small towns, because marriage is seen less as a union of two individuals and more as a social pact. The man and woman are not left alone to make the biggest choice of their lives. The whole village or town has a say.
To appease everyone and yet fall in love is perhaps extremely difficult. Someone in your community or family will always have an objection to the one you choose as a life partner, whether in a socially acceptable marriage or otherwise.
Is marriage more of a social pact or an individual one? If the khaps have their way, then in their patriarchal set up, marriage is an extremely social issue and it is the right of every male cousin, every uncle, every grandfather and every male neighbour, to decide who the groom-to-be should marry. Women, too, are a party to this, provided they concede to what the men decide! No wonder, women are often co-perpetrators of honour killings. There have been barbaric cases in rural India where mothers have demanded the killing of their daughter for marrying the wrong man.
Can a wrong choice in marriage become such a social crime that it needs to be so severely punished, and so brutal that the mother becomes privy to it? How does marriage between two people acquire such a colossal social significance that the entire family’s and community’s honour gets linked to it?
Society is within us. We cannot escape it. It shapes us and moulds us. We accept it or react to it, but we cannot entirely escape it. It often gives us our moorings. It helps keep some sort of order, or civilisations would be chaotic. But there are some decisions, like marriage, which are best left to individuals and their private space. The diktat of the Khaps is encroaching upon that very private space of individual choice, faith, perspective and lifestyle.
A civilisation can flourish only when there is a healthy dialectic between individuals and society. If society has to dictate every aspect of an individual’s life, there would be no scope for development, new ideas and change in the world. Such autocratic thrusts are no better than Hitler’s extreme hatred of the Jews and his absurd beliefs about racial purity.
It does not say much for a nation, does it, if its deadliest terrorist caught and jailed gets the same sentence as two seemingly free people who inadvertently fall in love? Are we then equating falling in love with terrorism. Do both deserve the death penalty; how absurd have we become as a society?
