Developing Community Toilets

Public toilets and India

Gutan tag!

Recently, when my brother married, we all relatives went to have feast at my sister-in-law's house in a village. After learning that there is no toilet we were shocked. Then we told the aunty at the home, if there is no toilet we will never come again. I think she built the toilet, but i never visited again!  With elections round the corner, its time that we should vote for politicians who have toilets as party symbols and who constructs toilets at nook and corners of India, so to say for the swelling population!

It's big inconvenience for the general public that we don't have public toilets maintained. Once we step out of the workplace or house, with the sorry state of affairs, one like as if there is no urine bladder in the digestive system in our bodies. If pedestrian rights are denied in India, toilets are another dimension widely neglected for public. As a person i have travelled across widely on jobs and during college, toilets are the dreadful places to visit. Men everywhere holding up can be seen, on the railway tracks you can see in the morning if you are travelling people dutifully paying their respects on the tracks! There must be stringent laws that all the federal and state and private organisations\institutions should allot a portion of their land for public inconvenience, where public gather say near bus stops, circles and the workers should be well paid. These places can be best utilised, as they remain lifeless for ages, it would greatly help the passers-by who long for neat toilets. People at the toilets charge you for 1 to 2 rupees but the cleanliness of the toilets are unbearable. And whoever litter the public places should be punished.

If there is urgency to help oneself in the public places, where will people go in the absence of toilets. Although NGOs are doing their best like Sulabh International, the activism of governments on this front pathetically low. So, we should decide if our MLA\MP\ or whomsoever  build the community toilets for us, we should vote for him. With the kind of education we are offering, our children too grew up throwing wastes, and urinating everywhere. Is not it our duty to sensitise our children?

Equally responsible are both politicians and public. Get money for voting someone who will never visit again. The level of responsibility we show towards the development of country is really worrisome. Get paid and get doomed too!  Wherever we are not sensitised the backlash is to borne by us only.

HE AND SHE AND IN BETWEEN

Is there any human being or living form growing in between the he and she, as many may put you in between scorning you about your mannerism and all? If I ask this to a biologist he would shrug off: yes there are. Scientific community could go on to describe the conduct and behaviour of this group of humans. Society can prove that there are hermaphrodites and they are epicene. The world does not stop here building it up with whatever ways it can to describe this precious life – being between him and her.

Do you wonder whom I am talking about? Many a times we just despise this group mocking them without conscience for what they are. One should always understand their nature and this kind of every natural birth-simply they are humans, who cannot either digest it to themselves throughout their lives nor can reveal their feelings to others! This article does not support any bisexual practice nor approve the growing customs like civil partnership among same sex people, LGBT here. In the earlier decades by countryside, they would perform for both male and female roles in the cultural programmes throughout the night entertaining with elan, which still continues, especially in south India. Nowadays they become a group of people, who do not work anymore, but can be seen in street corners and railway sojourns asking money from others? Some countries have legalized this community and in many others they are approved. In the developed countries the people of the same sex are getting recognized and lead their lives as any normal other couple does. In India, transgender community is growing as you see them along the railways, at traffic signals and in metro cities, unfortunately are not visible in formal workplace settings. Does our society, policymakers and government recognize them, or do we ever care about why they are leading a life like this? Often they may try to be different as ordinary others are, want to learn new and experiment things but could not in many spheres of life both physically and mentally. Many a times they may feel this will be okay, as we grow older, but does the society recognize and understand as they grow along?

Whatever it takes this is neither their mistake nor the curse they are imposed! What mistake did they do to born like this? Is it their destiny or their parents’ mistakes are the questions propping up often? These God’s own people are the voices who are hardly heard, often exploited and never treated with dignity as individuals as they are. As a person every individual has the right to lead life with dignity and his\her individuality is unique in this universe. If we agree to this, let us accept them instead of passing lewd comments and abusing them. If we think we are macho men and beautiful women let us don’t take pride at scorning others about their behaviour and conduct. We should try to learn and be sensitized on this, instead of throwing hurting remarks and stigmatizing them.

And for the people who are challenged this is the message: never get let down by these scorners. See the people around you, there are people who lead their lives with integrity and peace in spite of entangled problems, deformities, mental and physical challenges. If you ask yourself often, why did I born, you should meet these privileged people and interact with them. Life is full of reckoning and has so much of surprises in store for you. Never ever allow these things let down your spirit. You are special in this world, and are born to win.

In the evolving society, if they are not supported and understood, when are we going to appreciate and inspire them? When will we lessen the trauma that they are undergoing? Psychologically, as many of us would have studied the approach towards the afflicted people should be first to understand their nature not what they become, but how they born with inherent natural qualities. They need our warmth and love, let us never hurt them, even if we cannot help them. But causing pain is worse, no matter if we are not helping them.

Super - Movie Review

Having much on my plate to work, I dared to spend a little amount of time off the routines last weekend. To my surprise, the whole theater was full to catch up with happening Kannada movie - 'Super' directed by Mr. Upendra. I overheard that he has directed this movie after a brief hiatus. 

Barring the interrupting songs, which is part and parcel of Indian cinema, the movie was racy, with the struggles India faced for independence. Comedians have tickled the bones often to laugh out. After a 9 months stay at IT city of India, this is my first out with a Kannada cinema. How many similarities do Kannada have with other Dravidian and national languages, but much of the disharmony, language politics, and regionalism are due to the current politics, playing in spoiling the harmony, we ought to have.

Well, lets get back to the highlights. Amid the romantic, and hyped up run-of- the-mill movies, i liked the movie, specially for the below:

1. Plastosphere: Anywhere, everywhere and anyhow plastic worlds of urban India. With no strategic plan by municipalities, plastics are free to watch everywhere. Let wait for few more years, no wonder we will have plastosphere. Really soring, huh!
2. Corruption: . Today, to get the work done in India, we have cough up bucks, right from childbirth to the end. When there will the transparency in government delivery machinery?
3. Laxity and No Accountability: The message was lucid and clearly said, no one cares for other, and society. If all of us, don't raise to the occasion, we have to imagine, how pathetic we will be!

Thanks for this movie!

At the Crossroads of Divisive Politics

How divisive we are yaar at politics? Having a multiparty system at the helm of affairs is good, but fighting at each other resulting in not-so fruitful results is a worrisome trend in India. I always wondered when will we have a 2 party system or parties at regional level but efficient machineries in delivery of citizen services. Mr. Jahan Mohan Reddy has split up in Andhra Pradesh; in Tamil Nadu actors Mr. Sarath Kumar and Vijaya Kanth have found their own parties. If everybody goes off founding parties, are we partitioning our India with divisive ideologies and manifestos, of which many failed at the political boxes in delivery. Even, many these so-called luminaries are starting off their television channels, often biased views with no public intentions in mind. OMG, when this will change. Right from municipalities to state governments have been successively failing to deliver common services in basic areas -education, health care, public libraries and environment protection etc., In the light of above, if each leader dissent and founds a new party, when will we achieve the most ruminated topic in our politics "inclusive growth" at least before we die! Each political party goes to erect its flagpoles and hoisting its own flags, how many parties we have got, unnecessarily. This is just the height of indifferences we have that is the root cause, so to say! You know, we have been very good at pulling each others leg at the cost of not allowing to grow for a healthier tomorrow. Many people who are in the politics switch over the loyalties during their stints between major parties, what saddening is they dissent a found new party.

Vagaries in Weather and Life

At last, my brother's marriage is over, as solemnized on 8th November, 2010. His marriage can't be forgotton as the skies have openen up genorously over the eve. Thankfully, things worked out in spite of the day long rain.

You know, having faced many hurdles to reach this level in our lives, this is a great moment to see my brother at wedlock. Dinesh, i wish you a happy married life.

Coming to the general custom of marriage, oh, my God, they would not let you sleep the marriage. It was an exhaustive process, so to say...you have to receive the guests, arrange the accomodation, food, music...,appa it was really bending up! Meanwhile i lost my wallet, someone masterminded lifting that, its gone... At the research front, i have been toiling with a paper in hand fine-tuning? Long but's fun... Looking forward to January..2011.

I was at Syndicate Bank, before the teller. I asked him whether i can have ID & password for Internet Banking in English. He was not responding, then neglecting me, while others were noticing, he murmured...What this guy is talking in English... I went to Branch Manager, he simply ignored my request? Is this bank show responsiveness..?

The weather has been sleepy, so did i am and the days are shorter. But it is getting colder yar, than the Hyderabad. Hey Sun, will you show off please, keep all the vagaries away, also take note of mine.

Phir Milenge

Today is a sad day to me, as a good companion of mine at ISI, BC left for joining a job at NIO, Goa. A soft-spoken Mithun was a nice and good friend, never seen him getting angry of my 7 months association with him. A good Hindi teacher to me, no pun intended, i am not sure whether i never took advantage of him. I felt like i am losing a right arm of mine. As a predecessor in the fellowship programme, he should have completed the PhD, but a career in middle has changed his future. As am writing this sitting in the desk near his table is looking empty. It would take really a hard time to get over this.

But, Mithun I wish you a great career and all your heart desires to come true. We all at ISI, BC will miss you a lot. We all look forward to hear from you that you settle down soon.

Palar flows - So do my thoughts

Oh my God! It was raining Dogs and Cats. I and Nilesh used this expression sometime back during the monsoon season in Bangalore. But when i spent this weekend during Dinesh's marriage I literally witnessed it.

Started at an early morning on Sunday 7th November, 2010 as the weather was predicted, skies went crazy with heavy downpour all day long. I had to make all arrangement for the marriage in the dreching rain, thankfully uncles, cousins and the whole family members were extremely supportive.

I am very glad that the "Palar" river which starts its journey from bordering Andhra Pradesh with its tributaries flows through Vaniyambadi was in spate with running water. Just a day back, when i was pedalling my way on the river bridge, i felt that this river should be like that of Kaveri flowing perennially. And a day after i see it, I cannot imagine it. I think this rain would at least stop some drinking water woes now, and increase in water level across the region.

Vaniyambadi town is well surrounded by many hills - Yelgiris, Javad and many others, known for its leather based products and prickling heat and for the gourmets not to forget the Yuppy Biryani. Though, the summer is highly warm, the winter too is so cold. If more trees are planted, people are more sensisitized, the environmental issues can be sorted out. I become somehow allergic to plastic covers, anywhere, everywhere and anyhow plastics. Why don't we stop using plastics, and replace some eco-friendly bags - Jutebags etc.

It was a very nostalgic moment to me to have all the relatives for the marriage, as well as the mother Palar flows in spate so did was my heart with joy. Two days without sleep and all the tiredness have gone when i seen the waters flowing through the river.

The past Diwali entertainment content on TVs was full of CINEMA, CINEMA, and CINEMA. I think we live, eat, breathe, and will die for films and cinema based news. Turn the TV on any festival season, i can bet you 90% of the programmes are movies. OMG, how crazy we are to movies, forgetting the development, cleanliness and social interaction. This should change. Don't we have anything else on this earth to delibrate and speak about? Even some channels relay how the movie was made, what the hell this segment will benifit anyone who does not have proper food, ailing and need help. The degree of pollution that we make on Diwali is extremely adverse to ecosystem as well as to our own self. Who cares?