Demonisation of Deepawali

Deepawali, which was celebrated yesterday with zeal and fervor, has but left a bad taste or (shall I say a trail?) of sickening noise and air pollution.  It has brought at naught the laudable 'Swachchha Bharat Campaign' of the Prime Minster Narendra Modi.  I do not know what happens to the sensitivity of the people, when they indulge into such unpardonable activities, in spite of knowing the fact that a large number of populace is undergoing through immense hardships caused by disastrous of flood and cyclones in Jammu & Kashmir, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. Does their conscience not prick them when they mindlessly splurge huge amounts on firecrackers and costly gifts on the pious occasion of Deepawali?  I have been told that the neo-rich families became so crass that they spent many lakhs of Rupees on the firecrackers leaving the thick clouds of smokes hanging in the air. These smoke overcasts have aggravated the breathing problems among the patients of asthma and other lung diseases.

 The deafening noise caused by the bursting of huge chain of crackers disturbed the sleeps of infants and old alike for the whole night. Patients were the worst sufferers. This has left a big question mark on the purity and sanctity of religious festivals. Those, who celebrate the festivals of Deepawali and Holi in such obscene and vulgar manner are ,without a shred of doubt,the enemies of the religion. But the saddest part of it is that the religious leaders are promoting such stupidity with their stony silence. I do not have any compunction to say that most of the festivals of Hindus have been degenerated and they have lost all the serenity attached to them. It is oft -repeated by every religious and political leader that 'Deepawali is the festival of victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance and good over evil' but when we see the suffocating atmosphere around, we find that in practice it is the other way round. The market forces have complete stranglehold over the solemnity of the occasion. The amount of wares and goods, which were sold during this Deepawali, and the mad rush of the buyers that was seen in the market showed that demonic forces of the bazaar were out in full force to defeat the purity of the festival by vainglory and humanity by barbarity.

 Those who are corrupt, regardless of their being politicians, bureaucrats and businesspersons, they are having the final say in giving direction to the festivals. They spent thousands and lakhs of Rupees in distributing and receiving the gifts with no sense or qualm of guilt about the teeming and toiling masses. Common person is left high and dry because he/she does not find any place on their radar. My conscience is numbed with shock when I see these insensitive and corrupt people are on spending spree without any remorse and use these festivals as a cloak or ploy.

I have been thinking since yesterday as to why the religious heads, political leaders , social activists, intellectuals and media persons remain silent spectators on the blatant violations of laws and the real spirits of religion? They appear to have succumbed to the onslaught of the corrupt and powerful persons and allow them to hold the silent and meek majority to ransom by turning the Nelson’s eyes on acts of gross injustices. 

It may also be noted here that many years ago the Supreme Court of India ruled that no fireworks or loudspeakers can be allowed to blare after 10.00 p.m. but anybody can see it himself or herself that the judgment of the Supreme Court is violated with the contempt and gay abandon on almost all festivals particularly during Deepawali. Deepawali is no longer a festival of lights, symbolizing the victory over ignorance and darkness. It has now become a festival of show-offs, when rich and neo-rich persons flaunt their wealth and prosperity. I certainly have  grudge with such persons who not only make mockery of religion and also cause inferiority complex among large section of the society, who earn their living by honest means or by the sweat their brows. The honest and humble hardly cause or contribute to the pollution in the atmosphere but they are never counted.

 It is indeed regrettable that the religious leaders of the Hindu society have never raised their voice against this uncivilized and ignoble exhibition of the rich people. This shows that how effete, weak and unconcerned they have become towards to the society. By their deeds, they have joined the company of thugs and cheats. Their religious practices are ‘phoney’ and therefore despicable

 The police, the administration, is often conspicuous by its absence on the occasions. This again shows their irresponsibility and dereliction to the duty. The politicians they abstain from doing any fruitful campaign to get rid of this evil. Media persons and intellectuals are equally,if not more, to be blamed for this growing and skunk like menace. That is why, I say that so long religious leaders, politicians of all hues and colours, police and administration and other right spirited people do not come forward to awaken the  conscience of the general public, clever and corrupt will continue to rule the roost. The 'Principle of Polluters Pay '(PPP) is a well accepted theory across the world and the same has been buttressed by the Indian Supreme Court in many of judgments but why is it not being strictly observed is beyond my comprehension.

 Anybody who is causing the noise and air pollution must be stringently punished and must be made to pay for the pollution they cause. This would, undoubtedly, go a long way to restore the piousness, the serenity and the sanctity of the festivals. The monsters ought to be killed without any misplaced mercy,please!

'half girlfriend', A Riveting Book

I am a slow reader and that is why, almost ten days back, my younger son Utkarsh gave me ‘half girlfriend’, the latest book of Chetan Bhagat and I took five days to finish it. In fact, I steal time for such readings and can afford the luxury of reading any book, magazine or even newspapers without break. Utkarsh is also now in the legal profession like me but he has more time for pastimes. He is a fan of Chetan Bhagat. He tells me that he has read all his books because they are very gripping and written in racy style.

There is no doubt that the style of Chetan Bhagat’s writing is very fast- paced and it keeps you busy till you have finished. Not only the style but the contents of the book is titillating and it arouses the curiosity page after to know what has happened next. To my mind his ‘3 mistakes of my life’ is one his best books. The literature, as I think, is not meant only for the entertainment it must also provide food for thought. A good literature needs to be remembered by the posterity but the king of paperbacks, which is what Chetan Bhagat is described, has not delivered anything, which can be remembered hence after ten years. Having said it all I cannot but appreciate and admire the fertility of his mind for weaving the events and incidents like warp and woof, which keeps one entangled till the last page.

‘half girlfriend’ is a story woven around a Bihari young boy, who does not know the English but has got admission in the super elitists St. Stephen's college of Delhi University, where most of the students still shamelessly take pride in being the linguistic progenies of Goras. Any way, the Bihari boy could get his admission from the sports quota, as he happened to be an excellent player of badminton. He got into touch, which later got converted into friendship, with English knowing, very rich Marwari girl. The girl was also admitted in the college from the sports quota because she also happened to be a good player of badminton.

 The similarity between the two ends there. She is extremely beautiful coming from stingingly rich family. They have got the liking each other but there are many hindrances in the blossoming of the love between the two. Her parents got her married to a billionaire who is living in London. The marriage proved to be a disaster. For the sake of the marriage, she was forced by her parents to drop her studies and settle down in London with her husband. The marriage ended into a divorce after a brief spell of one year.

Meanwhile, the Bihari boy graduated himself from the prestigious collage, got a good job with banking industry. However, he gave up his lucrative job and came back to his home town of Dumrao. It may be said here that many of the characters and places in this book are real but their characteristic is fictional. The boy, who is now a young man, is helping his mother in managing and teaching in the school in this small town. In the feudalistic setup in Bihar, his family enjoys good reputation from the poverty-stricken people of the neighbouring villages.

To provide the dramatic twist to the story Chetan Bhagat introduced Bill Gates, the richest man of the world, who is visiting Bihar giving aids and charities for his philanthropic works. The young Bihari man gets the opportunity to bring Bill Gates to his school and also gets a good amount of money for revamping his school. Fired with zeal as he has been, he converts his school into a model one. The fire of his love with the Marwari girl is still burning in his heart. The girl after her divorce with the London businessperson joins an NGO and comes to Patna, where this young man accidentally meets her in one of the most posh hotel, the Chanakya of Patna.

The ashes from the fire of the love are removed in the chance meeting and both of them come into close contact. Neither he has forgotten her nor she of the college days which was nipped before reaching the climax. Chetan Bhagat again provides a new turn to it and the girl suddenly leaves to New York without informing her college friend, to pursue the profession of her choice to become a singer in any hotel. Ultimately, the boy goes to New York to search of the girl and finds her. This is like a happy-ending in a film.

The book is riveting indeed. No doubt, sooner rather then later a film will be made on it, which will be as hitting and successful as the earlier film (Three Idiot) made on his books ‘Three Mistakes of Life’.

Chetan Bhagat is the rock star of Indian publishing industry. After renouncing the highly paid job of the banking sector, he has become a full time writer and now he is rolling in wealth. Mostly, the college students lap- up his books but he has good readership cutting across the age barriers. The young generation can draw lot inspiration from his and his life as well. One may agree or disagree with him but no one can ignore him this is the meeting ground between me and my son, Utakarsh, as far as Chetan Bhagat and his books are concerned.