Saturday, 20 June 2020

Socio-economic and Spiritual aspects of Pandemic

The pandemic gripped whole world in its deadly claws, raising many questions about different aspects of human existence. The consequences of pandemic could be seen not only as a threat to human life but far-reaching areas of life which necessitate and determine human existence on this earth. It has also triggered imagination of social, economic, political thinkers inter alia policy makers, strategists, military diplomats and foreign policy makers envisaging a post-Covid -19 world order. Besides, these areas of negotiations a larger picture emerges, which is humanitarian spectrum challenging and revealing the philonthraphic works of those , who are economically powerful and willing to pay their obligations to the society but it also tends to expose, in the same breath , those who remained indifferent to the plight of people. This blog intends to discuss all aspects viz Socio- economic, environmental and spiritual one by one..

Pandemic in its wake brought social ostracisation, euphemistically describe social distancing. It was not possible for socially energized and globally expanding world for all reasons to shrink so suddenly.There were violations of norms knowingly and unknowingly resulting in large number of cases of infections and death all over the world. So different countries had to enforce complete lockdown in order to save lives.Lockdown brought members of family together, creating and cultivating a sense of solidarity and values, otherwise getting lost in mercenary and materialistic spirit. However, the other aspect , as reported by social and mainstream media, is sudden increase in domestic violence. Lockdown also registered increase in males assisting ladies in kitchen and house hold works, many funny videos covering it gave a seeming reality of utopian feminism adding much humour to people locked and docked.
Many poets in many languages delineated the various colours and shades of pandemic touching these issues within the rubric of social perception 

Economic dimensions were more thrilling and alarming arising out of lockdown in particular and pandemic in general. Railways, Air services, small scale industries, travel and transport services, building and construction activities, religious shrines were worst hitted, rendering many unemployed and jobless. Poets also presented these perspectives in their works resulting in flood of pandemic poetry.The worst victims of this. Pandemic, were migrant workers. Their  plights, inhuman conditions caught into lockdown and uncertainties witnessed the worst scenario of this century, in which, they walked to thousands of miles carrying the burdens of their shattered dreams and hope for safety of home even in the face of adversities. This occupied a significant themes in poetic experiments in terms of themes, structure, form and style.

Environmental concerns of the pandemic from all over the world ,are exhilrating and encouraging.It provided a stage for Nature to heal it.Water, air, river systems, oceans all got relatively purified.Birds, animals , insects appeared on the roads striking a balance in an ecosystem.Peacocks, flamingos, deers and leopards were seen roaming freely on lonely highway roads. Many recalled these phenomenal changes as return to nature.
This magnanimous spirit of Nature was beautifully captured by poets and writers.


The fourth and final dimension is philosophical and spiritual longings of the people which resulted in converting every home in literal sense into a temple for prayers, peace and worships , seeking security and safety of kind against Covid-19 infections. The prayers and chantings for healing and Empowerment.Empowerment is seen as two edged weapon, empowering physical as well as internal selves of the people. The philosophical and spiritual urges lent a time for connecting with mind and soul. Pandemic poetry  also celebrated the spiritual longing, resulting in peace. Pandemic for all good purposes ushered into a phase of philosophical healing, giving people reasons and times for Self- interrogation and realisation, unravelling tapped human consciousness.These are silver linings of the pandemic clouds, which obviously put people to ordeal , but, it won't last for longer time.


Sunday, 14 June 2020

Sushant Singh Rajput:Untimely demise

The suicide of Shushant Singh Rajput, a noted actor and TV artist left the whole country stunned.His suicide leaves many questions that remain unanswered by if not by death atleast, by life itself. What makes one happy in life, name, fame,money or love? Perhaps, Sushant achieved all these in his life barring a few set backs and pitfalls , which is normal in every one's life.Then what made him to resort to such drastic step?Is it because he failed to manage his failures?Was he unable to manage his emotional intelligence? Or his economic and financial planning? Was it emotional disaster due to failure in love?He struggled to achieve success therefore he must be a man of strong nerves and simply for this reason, he might have not succumbed to stress of setbacks. Failure to manage dress due to relationship could be one possible reason?What seems to be apparently simple for a one may be complicated to other because of different states of mind and inbuilt mechanism of shock absortion.G also committed suicide but in this case reasons were clear. However, Shushant's case is different and calls for deeper reflection.

Existential philosophy explains the alchemy of suicide as an escape from the tyranny of absurdity and nothingness of life. Camu in his famous book "Myth of Sisyphus",  dwells on the absurdity of life, negation of meaning by further arguing that there are two ways of fighting with life either accept it or commit suicide.Camu's heroes are triggered by the innate negation of forces of life as myths and ending it as freedom.  The impulse that drives a person to suicide is triggered by some deep seated malaise fired on the spur of moments. Psychoanalysts hold that the impulses may be triggered by some recent incidents in the life of that person or momentary sparks impairing the reason. In sudden flash the person in question burdened by the sense of guilt or shame or disintegrated self and impaired reasoning faculty goes blank giving way to dastardly act.Any one in depression or with suicidal impulses must be attended by counsellors and family members. Yoga and meditation could be one possible way to avoid the tragic end. Of course, no one can change one's destiny.

I pay my tribute to Sushant in this poem reflecting on such questions raised in this blog:
 The day you hanged by fan
You left all stunned and speechless
What provoked you to such an act?
What waves of thought whirled around?
Knocking your circle of reason?
You made your way to top place.
Of all your scintillating acts
This was most appalling-
Leaving all numb and dumb.
The stage rose to greet you
Melowed with tears without
A take or retake?
Many people, many stories
But all stories buried in your shroud
For death is the only reality
Rest is excuse for living.
Rest in peace Shushant !







 

A Punishment larger than Crime

The brutal killing of George Fyodor recently shook the world, creating a civil war like situation in America.Here I don't want to discuss the political and racial interpolations of the incident but my focus is on the humanitarian aspect of the gruesome act of the cruelty.The viral video in which handcuffed Floyd has been depicted lying on the ground with two police men riding on him is a pathetic condition, raising questions about the role of police in a democratic civic society. What can people do,if the protectors of civic liberty tend to be killers? Do they have rights to take laws in their hands?Can they become so insane that they are unmindful of their civic duties?These questions are disturbing and intriguing for a democratic country ,which is commited to individual rights and freedon of the people.The way he is strangled to death raised not only legal questions but also moral questions relegating the gruesome scene to mediaeval diabolic spirit.Was Fyodor's crime greater than the punishment given to him? Certainly, no.If not then certainly it is violation of human rights and the arrested cops must get the punishment due to them.Here I would quote Dostoyevsky :
"People speak sometimes about the "bestial" cruelty of man, but that is terribly unjust and offensive to beasts, no animal could ever be so cruel as a man, so artfully, so artistically cruel."
These words of Dostoyevsky beautifully sums up the cruel act of these cops. We as human beings must pause and ponder. Are we civilized people living in a democratic order? If yes, then let history never repeat itself.

Saturday, 13 June 2020

Covid-19 and Delhi

The rapid spread of Covid-19 infections in Delhi has become nightmarish. The containment zones are increasing and reported cases of infection and deaths are alarming. The question rises, where did Delhi go wrong? There are certain obvious reasons and hardly need to be discussed here. A few significant concerns raised by analysts and political journalists are namely , late checking at airports of travellers especially foreigners, the controversial congregation of Jamati, ill planned lockdown and unlock phases, migrant workers' exodus etc. However, these factores beyond any doubt aggravated the problems in Delhi but to me the greater failure lies with dilly dally policies of Kejriwal government in Delhi. His continued harping on availability of medical facilities, civic arrangements to ensure social distancing and hospital facilities proved to be fatal for worsening conditions in Delhi.Politicking and game playing added to this problem. On the one hand, he continued to assure people of beds and treatments. On the other, he continued to make political statements without the genuine zeal for fighting the menace and giving people not comfort of words but treatments.There are many stories of patients running from one hospital to other and finally succumbing to death.Even hospitals under Delhi goverment utterly failed to comply with Government orders. Stories of brokers, role of money in getting admitted to such hospitals added to their apathetic approach.

The projected figures of Covid -19 cases by mid July are alarming an hinting  at community spread. In the entire mechanism of control there are glaring lapses and strategic flaws.Delhi government in a state of confusion, is caught into vortex of political conundrums and inaction.God save Delhi.

Monday, 7 October 2013

My translations of Mirabai's poems

Mail to a friend


Chandra Shekhar Dubey


Image credit- rgbstock.com




I am one with Krishna
I am with Krishna one
And long for none
My beholder is one
Whose head is decked with peacock crown.

Claws of clan and worldly jibes
Now I dare to frown,
Imbibing saintly virtues
I shaded worldly inhibitions.
Killing the ghosts of prohibitions
I moved to difficult terrain of devotion.
Discarding precious pearls and corals
I have put a garland of wild flowers.
The vine that I nurtured with love's tears
Stands sprawling laden with fruits of joy
With soulful sense, I have churned my love.
As from the curd, wholesome ghee, reserving for me
And discarding skimmed milk for the others.
Mere sight of devotees gladden my heart
And I weep to see the worldly woes.
I, Meera bonded with my darling Giridhar
Seek my salvation with his favours.

Translated byChandra ShekharDubey

Notes-
Giridhar- one who lifted mountain for welfare of the people of Gokul against Indra's ire (ie Krishna)
Ghee- clarified butter.


Morning and ShowersWake up, player of flute, my loving son,
Wake up , my dear.
The night slipped into morning,
Thronging doors open of the houses.
The jingles of the bangles of the gopis
Churning the curd reverberate around.
Wake up my loving son , it's morning
As folks stand waiting on the door.
The young cow herders clutter
Uttering the words jai, jai .
The cowherds are out for their work
with butter and bread in their hands.
O' lord of Meera ,Giridhar , I seek salvation
In your feet.
The clouds drizzle in the month of Sawan ,
heart luring drizzles of Sawan fill my heart
with exaltations on listening the news of arrival of my lord.
Rippling and rolling from all four directions,
the glow of the lightening showers as in tiny
droplets the clouds shower, gushing forth
thepleasant cool breeze all around.
Sing the song of bliss and ecstasy
that lord of Mira is Giridharnagar.
(Translated by Chandra ShekharDubey from Hindi, Meerebai'spoem titled "BhorAurBarkha")