The "Poor" Nation

“Man, I hate India, this country does not have anything except poverty and corruption” this is one of the most common conversations among the youth of our country and especially Mumbai.

The fundamental problem of this kind of attitude of the youth that we consider our country to match the USA or UK. Every Indian has a tendency to ape the western and more developed world. Why don’t we try understand our country’s situation, Firstly India attained “Independence” only 58 years ago and the USA got it 228 years ago the difference a whopping 170 years. Technically we are 170 years behind the USA only in terms of independence and further the Indian Resources and Manpower exploited by the British Empire in the 150 odd years of rule over our country.

But in reality the situation is not so grave. We are a progressive country and by the calculations of the major economists and financial experts India will become the 3^rd largest economy in the world by the year 2033. The reason we like to ridicule and humiliate our country is that we compare ourselves to the western and developed countries.

This comparison by my reckoning is totally unfair. Staying with independence India got independence at about the same time as many African and east Asian nations the comparisons and yardsticks that need to be set must be with these countries but for some unknown reason the youth and even the lay man like to compare India to the USA and other developed countries.

The youth itself is irresponsible we study in this country and go and work or should I say it “serve” the American economy. We are one of the biggest losers of brains in the world.

Students study at IIMs and IITs and then go to the western countries only in search of money, money and more money.

If Facilities is what we want to speak about India is far ahead of these African countries. Talk about roads, medicine, sanitation, education or welfare activities we are pretty well developed.

The youth criticize the government employees of corruption. But what do you do if your caught disobeying a signal you take the easy way out and bribe the traffic cop. For once, why doesn’t the youth stand up for what it says and “believes” in?.

So to conclude I could like to say “A nation is never poor, it is made poor by the low and cynical thinking of it’s people”

So guys change ur attitude and change the country

Elected Exploitation

How often do you hear people blaming the British Raj for the state of our country? The answer “all the time”.

We must remember that the British Raj came to India and exploited us but they were not elected by us but rather imposed. But what about the so called Democratic ways we elected the leader of the nation, they are elected by us and still they exploit. Thus I justify my title “Elected Exploitation”.

But if we shun our cynicism for the British Raj in India we would perhaps see that it not just the British Raj that has lead India to the path of misery and destruction but also the Politicians.

Yes you heard me right, “the same person who wears a Khadi Kurta and promises you a lot of things in return for your votes which never happen” it will not be surprise that I would see people agreeing to this point.

The British Raj has been blamed of exploiting our country but take a look at the brighter side and maybe you will notice that they gave us some things that we have not got from our Politicians or “Neta” as we know them. The British gave us a Railway, Education, Telegraph And Post Systems(i know they gave it to us @ a very heavy price). On the Architectural front they gave us all these great monuments which we proudly show to the foreigners who come to our country(i know they gave all dat to us @ a very heavy price).

On the other hand our politicians have also given us many things Poverty, Illiteracy, Under utilization of resources, Unemployment, the great Democratic Meltdown and how could I forget the greatest tactic of Communal Politics.

By the sheer number of words the Politician wins means but by the meaning of those words it for you to Judge who wins in this race of better services. It is not a case of who provided better service but it is a case of who exploited us less and under what circumstances.

The point I’m trying to make is that why don’t we try to understand that electing a leader is our right and not just a formality. And I know people say it is a choice who is relatively the least evil of them all but why don’t we do something about and enter the so called gutter of Politics and try to change the system.

It depends on what the youth consider important their country or their own future. It is high time that the youth tried to change something for the better of the country for once.

The fact that I’m saying is to try to awaken our generation and would like the youth to take this article in the most positive way. I hope this makes a difference in the way we think

CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME

Sorry for putting religion as a topic in my blog entry but this one is interesting

One day walking with my dad I got one of his ever interesting questions

He said “The Christians have given Hospitals, Schools, Colleges, Old age homes etc, what have we as a community given to the society at large?????”

I pondered over the question for a while and I finally go the answer

It was a big flat “NOTHING” or the very weak maybe

I saw all the possible sides to the question but failed to reflect any significant facilities.

The problem with other religions is that we do too much for our religion and not for the people of that religion let alone the society, We build lavish gurdwaras(me being a sikh still wouldn’t support that idea), Mandirs, Mosques etc but we fail to look beyond the mask in front of our eyes to the reality that is constantly reminding us that there is hell on earth.

The growing poverty, the lack of facilities, lack of education, health services etc. Taking nothing away from the almighty I still give utmost respect to God in all versions and images, but even god doesn’t tell us to offer him with gold ornaments and mega festivals, the only thing that god asks is to give a little bit of time to remember him and help the people he created and who are helpless due to various circumstances.

God doesn’t want us to spend too much money decorating idols and plating mandirs with gold or silver. God is pure inside and so doesn’t need to be made out of Gold or silver idols but what god wants of us is to use that money rightfully.

We are fighting wars against each other to gain supremacy in this great land but we should help each other as we are all fundamentally brothers and sisters if we forget the invisible walls created due to cynical religious leaders of the current era.

So I request the people to utilize the funds the donate in terms of religion and religious practices in socially relevant activities.

Why don’t we go ahead and adopt an orphan, help a critically ill person with medicines or the least moral support, Why don’t we help elders live their remaining days with dignity, or fund a poor kid’s education an other activities in that lane.

I am sure god will be more happy seeing us help the helpless that looking at people decorate idols with gold or silver.

7days -35 hours To Enlightment

THE ART OF LIVING

Have you ever had that feeling that you lead some1 to a trap but then you out of sympathy (or for the sake of company) you go and fall into the trap with the same person, but the experience you get may stun you.

This is wat happened when I tried to put my brother into the course and casually avoid it, but after the 1^st intro-talk I was the first 1 to say I will surely join and not only me I also made a very close friend of mine and another friend to join.

And thus life took me to the art of living YES+ course,

I joined the course with a hint of reluctance towards the spiritual practices and yoga, the two words alone spell out one word "BORING", but they say art of living changes the way you think and it made me, the eternal pessimist and a stubborn person into a believer not in their practices or beliefs but their way of thinking and living.

When I joined I thought the practices to be stupid and kiddish but by the 7th day i understood y v ver told to do so .It made me go back to the time wen v ver all kids without fear or regret for the embarrassment our actions will bring to us, That is a time from where all of us have passed but some of us think that time is only a memory and some of us think it was a horrendous waste of years v cud've spent more maturely laying our living to the mercy of money and the people around us, pretending to be as mature and knowledgeable as a human mind and body can pretend to be.

We clapped at the drop of a hat or laughed even if v saw some1 breathe or just to make the place a lot more fun to be around. I felt light in my head and with my friends around i thought i needed nothing, but i the seven days i forged new friendships, learned how different people have different aims and goals in life. They told us how to be happy only to c another beautiful creation from god.

We had people from all walks of life, some1 wanted to be a Rockstar, some1 wanted to help the poor, disabled, stray dogs and some wanted to be a nice person to be with, some wanted to be more focused so that v can get a better degree and earn a hell lot of money (like me), but they all came there with one goal, PEACE OF MIND.

The course designers say that the fee structure is set so to keep the curious, not-so-serious practice tester of the course out, not that they don’t want them there but they want them there with an open mind. A closed mind is like an upside down pot which can’t grasp anything, so to gain something in life u have to have an open mind.

The yoga was fun, stunning but true and they don’t brain wash us or something, I still have the opinions on things I like and many more that I don’t, but let me clarify the Positive far out number the negatives by the ratio 1:1000 and I am being modest.

It is a great way to interact with a very elite group of people not by “world standards”(money, popularity etc. doesn’t mean that they are not ) but Intellectually Refined and higher in intellect and thinking than me or others like me and they have one sole aim, to share that higher very rare intellect and Make it common thus making the whole world happy.

Before you do the course a few pointers :

• People who are your course instructors are very educated(I mean degrees)[ in my case my instructors were Dentists].
• Forget you ego at home.
• Grasp everything with a pinch of salt as it your life depends on it.
• Shun all your worldly knowledge which can come in the way of u learning new things.
• Try and take out time, the course is 5 hrs a day for 7 continuous days(sound tiring but is the exact opposite.
• Keep ur mind open to new practices.
• When you enter the place for the course become a kind and enter the place and have a lotta fun.
• Be prepared to become excited and happy all the time, and I bet you u wont feel bad.
• Put everything in practice .
• And Most Important Smile and Have Fun.

And Finally I hope all the people reading this can see changes in me that I can fell, I have an even bigger smile(so expect a lot more of those PJ’s), and please do it if you want to change your life, this is Bhupi from your class, building, city or your circle of friends, not the art of living promoter and I vouch for everything I said and say that its true.

Till Next time Jai Gurudev