Let Us Empower Our Youths to Make 'Mera Bharat Mahaan' by 2020!

Each of us want to remain young and youthful. The reason for it is - it symbolizes energy, charm, ideas and productivity. As we age, we gain experience and become better equipped to face the challenges, but we surely start losing the qualities that symbolizes a young mind. While it is true at individual level, it holds true as a nation too! There are nations like the USA, Japan, Singapore and many others which grew in all the sense of modern parameters - because they marshalled all their resources with maturity and sincerity towards their people. We, as a nation missed out on it despite gaining independence more than six decades ago, which is a pretty good time to make things work. Unfortunately it didn't work for us, may be because our leadership at National level is not matured enough or they do not have the will to rise above the petty politics of vote, caste, region and

religion. Our leaders and policy makers didn't use their magnanimity and experience in the last six decades and we still remain a country of poor citizens.

By chance or design, after gaining Independence, India is presenting itself again with an opportunity by making itself the youngest nation in the world - with youth population touching an estimated figure of about 450 millions and median age of about 25 years by 2020! 64 percent of our population is expected to be in the working age group. Nothing can be better than this, as a nation!

But, are we readying ourselves? Are the policies being framed for the country to make the best use of this opportunity? Will the youths themselves guide the nation to prosperity? Is this opportunity, just a myth? Let us ask ourselves, what we can do, how we can contribute? Let us ask our employers what they can do? Let us ask the policymakers at all levels - are they aware of the opportunity and what they intend to do and when?

Today's youth have lot of challenges- though more than before but their are limited opportunities available to them due to inadequate education, skill and guidance. Majority of them are clueless and directionless about their future. Exceptions are there where people have excelled despite all odds, but it can't be a rule for all. It is high time to channelize their energy into right direction, else it may lead to disillusionment and unrest in their minds. Their energy needs to be harnessed in the national interest.

       

Kids of middle and high income group living in cities may have access to quality education and training, and hence they may ready themselves for 2020 and beyond for contributing meaningfully to their and national prosperity. But most of the kids in rural areas and in cities - who don't get even a square meal a day, can't be expected to grow physically and mentally to the desired level for giving their contribution in nation's growth. Despite having the age in their favour, country would miss out badly if proactive actions are not taken right away by the government at all levels with hundred percent sincerity.

Various reports suggest that a very high percentage of the graduates are unemployable including the engineers and the MBAs! Such reports are screaming about our faulty education system. Our education must empower the youth, add value to them, help enhancing their skills and make them a sought after human being for their qualities. Efforts should be made to see the kids grow into a youth full of dreams and at the same time creating enough opportunities for them to succeed.

Today there is a wide gap between 'haves' and 'have nots'. This gap needs to be closed by bringing all youths into the category of 'haves'. This is possible only by the magnanimous efforts of the policy makers - politicians and the bureaucrats at all levels, businessmen, all well to do families, the educationists, business houses and we all who can read and write and share whatever we can. We can do it by educating the kids of our domestic helps, by donating in terms of fees for acquiring academic qualification to youths around us who are poor but are good in studies, sharing our skills and knowledge or at least our time to help them resolve their issues. If not for total strangers, even if we resolve to do it for our poor relatives and close acquaintances, it would go a long way in uplifting the society.

Let us move sincerely in rightfully claiming our status as a youthful Youngest Nation and bringing prosperity to all by 2020. Then only together, we can make and proudly shout - Mera Bharat Mahaan! Else, in the year 2020 also it will remain mere a slogan - unmindfully written here, there and everywhere- a living sarcasm on ourselves and our attitude.

Let us give some breathing space to the kids and their grandparents!

Urbanisation has robbed the kids and senior citizens of their sweet time. While kids have lost their childhood in the emerging trend of city life, senior citizens lack the much needed calm environment around them.

In the last two decades India has seen unprecedented migration of its citizen, from one part of the country to other part, from villages to the cities in search of better  job opportunities and better life. Millions of us from villages left our homes and have preferred to settle in cities. The cities which used to be sparsely populated are now brimming with people, drawn from every part of our society, from every religion, with different languages and different geographical locations. This shift has helped India in better understanding of each other, better understanding of common issues and integrating the ordinary Indians together in raising a stronger voice for addressing of their issues and concerns.

While urbanisation has helped millions of us in realising our dreams to some extent, it has also resulted in the sorry state of the cities. Increasing population has put lot of strain on the cities, their infrastructure and on the people themselves. Cities have expanded in terms of bigger buildings, malls, hotels and big institutions but infrastructure didn’t develop to cater to the basic needs of the increasing population. Authorities didn’t give much thought in planning and developing the cities. Slowly, the open areas and green cover in most of the cities have been lost and what remains is the concrete jungle with concrete flyovers and asphalt roads leaving little for the people to breathe free and relax in the open!

Urbanisation has changed us a lot. In the hard pressed life of today, whenever we get some time to spend with family, we either rush to cinema hall or to a mall or to a restaurant. We keep running and keep spending to entertain and relax ourselves! As a grown up urban adult, our requirements are totally different from that of the kids and the senior citizens, say our parents. While we keep busy ourselves in our occupation, we don’t have much time to ourselves and hence today we don’t even get the time to feel the absence of open spaces!

I wonder how much we have changed. As a child, we used to play hours together in the open fields without any attention of the parents. Parents too didn’t bother much as they knew that their child is in the vicinity and nothing untoward will happen.  Today our children are deprived of such luxury. There are no open spaces, no fields and no parks. I pity that they are growing up without much physical activity. We all want our children to be healthy and robust, to be cheerful and energetic, to be creative and original. Unfortunately, we do not have the time and infrastructure for indulging them in such activities. Very few children might be getting such an opportunity. We, as a parent, do not allow our children to go out and play on the road and we must not – as it is not safe. The only alternative then remains is to keep them confined within the closed spaces of our flat and switch on the TV or Computer games for them. It is a compulsion for both – the parents as well as the children. Such situation is only going to make them weak and stunt their growth – mentally as well as physically. It is true for the aged people, who remain confined within the comfort of their home.

In any city in India, for that matter it is Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad or a specific locality like ours – in Chandkheda, I don’t find parks and playgrounds that caters to the needs of young kids, say upto twelve years of age. Similarly, for the senior citizens too I don’t find any such open space for them to relax and share quality time with their grandsons, granddaughters and their friends. Some cities can boast of parks and gardens, but they are very few in numbers compared to the requirement based on population of the area. Parks and gardens are also generally away from the residential areas and hence inaccessible to the general public and particularly to the kids and the aged people.

Mumbai has only 2.5% open space in cities in terms of gardens, parks, including open parking spaces. which translates to about 1.95 square meter per person. Cities like Chandigarh and Delhi are better off with about 35% and 20% open space respectively. If we calculate open space available for the kids and citizens, it would it would be mere fraction of the above percentages. As far as Ahmedabad is concerned, as per a TOI report (Jun 9, 2013) the open space in Ahmedabad city is merely 2% which translates to just 0.42 square meter area of open space per person, far below of the specified standard of 8-10 sq m per person as per Urban Development Plan Formulation and Implementation (UDPFI) guidelines.

With increasing urbanisation, and the way infrastructure is being developed, the problem is going to compound with time. It is high time that the Municipal Corporations and the AUTHORITIES wake up to the needs of the kids and the senior citizens and the issues are addressed for a better life for them. Let the kids begin their journey full of happiness in the open surroundings and let the aged sum it up living blissfully in the company of their kids and friends in a serene environment.

madhukarmohan@gmail.com

We First Create Tragedies and Then We Mourn it! Be it the Bhopal Gas Tragedy or the Floods in Uttarakhand!

I remember the night of 2^nd December 1984 for two reasons –firstly, for the great relief, we – the first year students got because of the Fresher’s Night – marking the end of the long testing period of ragging. And secondly, for the worst-ever industrial accident of our times – the Bhopal Gas tragedy!

In the morning of 3^rd December 1984 – we woke up relaxed – as ragging period was over! Being Monday, we had our classes and we were looking forward for attending our classes and going around the college without any fear of seniors. But, we saw something very unusual– number of local men, women, children were seen in our campus – confused and exhausted. Only then did we know about the unfortunate tragedy that had struck Bhopal. While we were celebrating our newly found freedom, thousands died and thousands were fighting an invisible enemy that was choking them to death. We remained unaffected primarily because of the wind direction (and also our college MACT - now MANIT- is far and located on a hill).

On knowing about the extent of tragedy thru Radio and Doordarshan, we all decided to skip college and rushed to the nearby hospitals. I still remember my visit to Gandhi Medical College, Bhopal with my friends on 3^rd December 1984 – the chaos in the campus with hundreds of men and women, young and old, some dead and some writhing in pain with badly swollen red eyes crying for their lives– still make me shudder with pain. Same was the situation at Hamidia Hospital and other hospitals that our college mates visited to help the victims. The previous night i.e. on 2^nd December 1984 – the leakage of Methyl Isocyanate (MIC) gas from Union Carbide proved too costly for many precious lives. Thousands died, thousands who could survive still suffer from severe ailments and it is learnt that a large number of mothers who were exposed to MIC gave birth to babies with congenital defects! Images of truckloads of dead bodies that I saw, still remains etched deeply in my memory. It hurt me, I still feel the pain.

It is learnt that on investigation it was found that scheduled maintenance, routine inspection, timely action would have saved these lives! Precautions -as simple as that! Alas, we do not learn!

Such accidents keep on happening under different settings, may be at different scales – killing one or ten or more - in a small explosion at one of the small crackers factory of Sivakasi or the big ones that shook Jaipur due to fire in IOC depot or the landslides of various magnitudes that keep taking place along the rail and road routes in hilly terrain. All such accidents could be prevented, provided we learnt from the past experiences.

Only we are to be blamed for the recent tragedy at Kedarnath and other parts of Uttarakhand - cloud bursts and landslides in hilly areas are known phenomena. Hence, any development plan in such area must take care of such natural events and happenings and should be planned for the worst. But, who has the time to devote time for such things.

As third world country, for India and Indians - money is precious and lives are cheap. Money has to be minted at any cost – be it at the individual level, municipality level, district level, state level or national level – forgetting the safety aspects and lives of common citizens. The ordinary lives are in such a large number that lives lost in such accidents do not matter much apart from making headlines and catching attention in a sensational fashion by the electronic media only until it sells and grabs the desired TRPs.

In the last three years, I have been visiting Himachal Pradesh very frequently and during these visits during summer, monsoon and winter – one thing has been common – landslides along the road! Within a stretch of say sixty kilometres of hilly track that I travel by road, during summer landslides are very occasional and at much smaller scale, in monsoons I have witnessed  on an average four to five landslides of enough magnitude to shake your confidence and during winters the frequency and magnitude again reduces. During these visits, what I have noticed is that the hills are primarily of soil embedded with rounded gravels of varying sizes – typical of those found on the riverbed and hence, these hills are not rock solid but loose and very much susceptible to landslides especially during the monsoon. As far as my understanding goes, these hills need lot of support at the denuded edges in order to support their own weight and minimize landslides. My common sense says that geographically speaking these hills are not made of volcanic eruptions but out of the movement of section of the earth forcing the planes and riverbed into various folds and bends exposing years and years of deposits made on the riverbed in multi layers to rise high and take shape of hills. On the denuded side of the hills – along the serpentine roads – where the hills have been cut to make space for the road, one can see from a distance a number of parallel layers one over the other tilted and rising from the ground to form the hill. These hills are fine examples for the geography teachers to educate their school students about the sedimentation process and faults and folds.

While it is interesting to see and appreciate these layers as a layman, what disturbs me is that barring some reinforced stretches along the open side of the road; the other side where the hills have been cut to make space for the road remains exposed for most of the stretch. This makes them highly susceptible for landslides during the monsoon as the exposed side of these hills become weak because of exposure to rains and they start falling under their own weight.

I wonder why the reinforcement of exposed side of the hills have been overlooked? May be because no civil engineer or the government gave it a thought? It is highly improbable. High costs could be one reason. Nevertheless, that is not a good enough reason to barter for human lives and willfully play with the environment.

The tragedy that struck Uttarakhand as a result of bad weather in the month of June 2013 got more pronounced and deadly just because of the mindless development (sic) of the hills – to mint money – at all levels. Had there been no construction alongside the riverbanks, had there been reinforcements along the denuded side of the hills, had there been genuine concern for the environment, had there been contented greed and had there been some consideration for human lives – such devastation could have been avoided.

Now, whatever relief package is announced, Uttarakhand won’t be same. Post this tragedy, the roads may be rebuilt, the hotels may again rise, the tourists may again flock to the revered Kedarnath Temple, the elections may be won, money would be minted at different levels and those who didn’t  lose anything in this tragedy may forget all this after a while. However, the damages that environment has suffered, thousands of lives that perished, thousands of those who lost their near and dear ones, their pain, their suffering cannot be reversed!

It is high time that the Central and State governments review the environmental and development related policies, monitor them, implement them with sincerity – without looking for short term gains. Today, in the name of development – whatever is being done is not enough. All the stakeholders need to rise above their petty personal gains and contribute whole heartedly to the cause of the common people and the environment. First, we should develop as a responsible citizen – the prime requirement to collectively develop as a Nation.

My heart goes out to all the lives that perished and their aggrieved family members. May your sacrifice help us in waking up from the deep slumber! Let us rise!

Do not buy gold!

We Indians are known to have special liking for gold. The luster of this yellow metal seems to have a never ending hypnotic effect on us Indians, especially the women who never seem to get bored of it! Even men are attracted to it; for instance - Bappi da- the musician- whom you might have never seen without a kilo of it on his body. Many of our cricketers love to show off their heavy yellow metal chains – while bowling to the opposition – as if to demorallise them more by their heavy gold chains, rather than by their bowling strength. Lure of gold has known to ruin many a homes and lives, but despite living in the spiritual India - we as an Indian have been always blinded by its  ‘chamak-damak’. It is time to say goodbye to it and learn to live.

It reminds me about a story, probably from the collection of Panchatantra, in which a man was always worried about the safety of his riches and he always spent his nights tossing on the bed – fearing that someone would take away all his valuables. One of his trusted friend suggested him to exchange all his  riches with gold bars – so that it would become manageable for him to stock and keep a vigil. He did so and hid it in his home, but the worry that someone would steal all his life time earnings -kept him awake. It continued for more than a week. Then he called his trusted friend and told him about his problem of insecurity. This time his friend suggested him to carry all his gold bars to the jungle and burry it there and to ensure that no one sees him doing it. He asked him not to disclose it to anyone – to ensure that the gold remains safe and secured in the jungle. In the dead of night he bundled all his gold bars in a packet and left for jungle, hid the packet under a tree returned relieved. He had sound sleep after a long time, for a few nights. After a while he thought of checking the gold bar packet, he made a round of the spot and came relieved on seeing that – the earth under the tree was not disturbed by anyone. He would then occasionally visit the jungle and glance through the area to ensure that no one dug it out. Months passed. One fine morning during one of his visits to the spot, he found that the earth has been dug out and the gold packet has been removed. He returned home, shocked and shattered – but he didn’t disclose it to anyone. A few days later, his trusted friend visited him who was shocked to see his poor health and know the loss of his riches. The friend gave him solace and asked him not to worry. The friend requested the man to take him to the spot to recheck it. They reached the spot and to ensure about the gold bars, they dug here and there – but found nothing -the gold bars were not there. The man was inconsolable now. The trusted friend asked him a few questions – like what was the size of the packet, what was the weight of the packet, etc. Next day the friend returned to the spot with a packet in his hand and the man following him. He asked the man to fill the box with stones lying there. Upon filling the box with stones, he sealed the box and hid it at the same spot. The friend turned to the man, there lies your gold – buried like before, be relaxed and live happily now! The man looked perplexed. The friend put his hands over his shoulders and asked him to imagine that the packet buried by them is full of gold. He said that the gold that was earlier buried there for months together was actually of no use to him, as all these months he didn’t need it for any of his requirements and would not require it in future too. It had no actual value to him and hence it was worthless. The friend asked him to imagine that the stones that were now buried by them is pure gold – and not to fear anymore for its theft. It changed the life of the man, who lived happily thereafter.

I have narrated this story just to give an analogy – of the buried gold bars particularly with bank lockers that one keeps and maintains to store all kind of gold jewelry accumulated with all the hard work – which keeps lying there for years and years – does it make any sense to hoard the gold mindlessly!  Why not put your money to a more productive use? It is said that flow is life, same is true for money – let it flow in the form of donations, service, education, business and anything that benefits the society. And anything that benefits the society, benefits you!

Coming to Indian economics on import of gold - Gold’s share in total import bill of the country has gone up from 8.1 per cent in 2001-02 to 9.6 per cent in 2010-11. In value terms, it has risen from US $ 4170.4 million in 2001-02 to US $ 33875.7 million in 2010-11. A growth rate of 63.5 percent is witnessed for the period 2008-09 to 2010-11. During the same period the Petroleum, Crude and products – occupying the numero uno position in terms of share of import bill has marginally declined from 31.0% to 30.1%. Import bill of gold is certainly weighing us down.

Concern of the government, expressed by Finance Minister Mr. P. Chidambaram in urging the people to not buy gold for one year and that gold is not the safest investment is worth noting. I can’t say about the safe investments, but certainly let us not waste and block our hard earned money in buying and hoarding gold.

Let our money flow, let it have life, let it make lives!

An Essay on the Poor Street Dogs!

The street dogs are a common site in every village, every city, and certainly on every street of India. One can see a variety of them in all hues and colours – from the young puppies to the oldies, healthy looking athletic ones to the ugly and diseased ones, the dogs who chase all kind of vehicles to those who sluggishly lie down alongside the road – least bothering about anybody’s business. Depending on their mood and situation; one can find them peeing on the tyres of the parked vehicles, jumping the boundary walls and stealthily running away holding the prized garbage bag under their jaws, hounding and chasing passing vehicles, vigorously wagging their tail in anticipation of the glucose biscuits thrown by the so called dog lovers, or, playfully engaging themselves in pulling and tearing a piece of rag or plastic bag; but, one thing is sure – they are everywhere.

 

We all know that dogs have been a constant companion of the humankind since time immemorial. It loves the company of human beings. While they love our company and remain faithful, we keep them  around us as our beloved pet for various reasons ranging from security and surveillance they provide to their cute and cuddly looks. Many of us keep them for ‘status symbol’ too! There may be various other reasons too to keep them as pet. Nothing is wrong in it as far as they are kept well and are cared for.

 

The problem begins when they are left on their own on the streets, to fend for themselves- for their territory, for their daily existence. On any given day, one can see them ferociously guarding their territories and participating in fights on the busy streets to protect it, scavenging  the garbage for food, chasing the unsuspecting scooty and bike riders – many times biting or injuring them badly, at times being shooed and stoned by the people, getting killed on the road by speeding vehicles, suffering from skin disease or other ailments and dying of hunger and exhaustion.

 

It is understood that AMC nowadays doesn’t catch them, for reasons well known to them. May be castration is also not being done, else, innumerable puppies wouldn’t have been around. Thus, the number of street dogs is increasing and one can see a group of four to five dogs patrolling every road or sniffing around a housing society. The problem is compounding day by day. This is a matter of concern, as it concerns the safety of the citizens, especially the kids. Many accidents on road take place because of the street dogs, many times to avoid them from coming under the wheels. Many dog bite cases have been reported in the past, and these would increase if proper measures are not taken immediately. Interestingly, some dog bite cases took place within the campus of the society. Also, these dogs make the place messy by answering their nature’s call, anywhere.

 

Many dog lovers feed these dogs by giving them a piece or two of the glucose biscuits, I wonder whether it is healthy for the dogs! I think, they must be doing more harm to the dogs by serving biscuits. Only a vet can tell about it – whether it is good or bad to feed glucose biscuits to the dogs, but, as far as I know- it is not good for them. I am not sure whether the dog lovers get the feed as sponsorship from some NGO or they self sponsor it. If it is a sponsored food, then these dog lovers must be getting much more than they dole out to these poor dogs. And, there must be some provision for giving treatment to the street dogs suffering from various illness. But, I haven’t seen anyone taking such care for these animals. The Municipal Corporations and the NGOs involved in such animal rights activities must look into it, seriously, for the sake of human’s best friend.

 

I would like to attract the attention of the Municipal Corportions, the NGOs and the dog lovers about the plight of the dogs and what better we can do for them. I feel that there should be shelter homes for the street dogs, where they can get good food, medical treatment, love and affection from us. These dogs may be trained in such shelter homes and once they are in good health and once they acquire training to lead a domesticated life, they may be given for adoption to the interested dog lovers!  The poor street dogs have toiled a lot, they deserve a better treatment now. It would also ease the lives of the residents.

Let us be more sensible, let us be more responsible

I am writing this article with a very heavy heart and lot of pain.

Daily news reports covering ignominious rapes makes me feel that we are a country of – No Hope. I might be incoherent in my expression today, let it be.

How many more rapes would make us sensitive enough, when would the government machinery take charge? I do not know whether so many helpless young girls were suffering in the past too and whether such incidences of rapes and abduction were being kept under the carpet?  May be, earlier it used to be a rare occurrence here and there; but, now the situation seems to have gone out of control and the perverts are having a field day – anytime, anywhere – shamelessly! Our law enforcing agencies appear as mere spectators, just like us. Girls are being raped all around us and we do not know what should we do?  After the Nirbhaya rape case in Delhi, it was believed that things would improve, we all would become more sensitive towards the girls and law enforcing agencies would become more responsible. But nothing seems to be happening in the right direction.

The only inference that we can draw today is that the rapists have become more emboldened in their misadventures and they have least fear of the society or the police or anyone for that matter. Even the toddlers are not safe, it is horrific and reflects the harrowing dip that law and order has taken and is further plunging deep and deep. What is also worrying is that sexual abuse is not limited to Delhi or Mumbai only, it is regularly taking place in other cities and villages too.

In my view, we are primarily in this situation because as a society we are decaying and we have become insensitive towards others, towards our acquaintances and own relations too. A disconnect can be felt at every other level, whether we speak about our leaders, our teachers, the administrators, law enforcers, et al. All this combined together has resulted in spurt of crime and going by the latest survey there has been increase of 336% in crimes against the children in the last decade. And it is not only the girls who are bearing the brunt, it is learnt that out of the victims, 55% were boys! Criminals do not discriminate.

As a child, I remember, we used to give due regard to all the uncles and aunties of our neighborhood and they too used to keep a caring watch on us. Our parents were not much concerned about our safety, because we were under constant watch of our elders – the neighbours. Any mischievous or objectionable activities of ours used to get reported to our parents. They also used to pat us when we did something good. It was a good check and balance and created a good bonding in the society. Alas! It is totally missing today. Today, while most of us are having nuclear family, our children are growing in an environment that has no presence and influence of the grandparents. When together, grandparents leave a long and lasting impression on their grandchildren and they greatly balance their lives. Also, we hardly know our neighbours and least we care about them. We certainly do not need to intrude into their privacy, but a certain level of acquaintance and respect for the neighboring families is a must.

In my view, the major reasons for the decadence in moral values are – disconnect with our own tradition and culture, break up of joint families and rise of nuclear families, displacement from one’s own hometown – giving a false sense of freedom, minimal interaction with family members and relatives, influence of west, corrupt government machinery, non-employment and other such factors.  All this didn’t happen in a year or two, but it has been taking place over the years. With opening of the job opportunities in the last two decades, more nuclear families came into existence and the chaos and disconnect grew. The effect is palpable in the form of insensible citizens where a forty or fifty year old man rapes a four year girl!  

I fail to understand that what makes the judiciary, the NGOs and the entire system so slow and extra considerate in punishing the criminals? Why we do not adopt the system of lynching in public? Why they can’t be hanged the very day the crime is perpetrated? Why do we need to be human to such perverts?

Let us be more sensitive to our children, to our society, to our family relations and everyone around us. It would help in creating a better world for our children. Let us learn to respect everyone, especially the women. Let us be more responsible.

Let us create a society that respects our children, especially the girls. Let us do whatever little we can do to make them safe. Let us come out of our own shell. For the safety of our own children and their innocent dreams!

We have been to Maha Kumbh 2013 – at Allahabad!

As I said in my earlier blog post that I never ever fancied about ‘Kumbh-Snaan’, but a phone call from my friend Zaroo - suggesting for it – turned out to be a good and exciting proposition. A few more calls and four of us – all from the engineering college we graduated (MANIT-Bhopal) - firmed up the date that suited us and we scheduled it to avoid the frenzied rush that normally takes place during ‘Shahi-Snaan’. Now I have an experience to share!

It was cold and drizzling when I landed at Lucknow airport, it concerned me. While, even a normal ‘Snaan’ at home during winter demands courage, the weather at Lucknow demanded further mental conditioning for the proposed ‘Kumbh-Snaan’ in the ice-cold water at ‘Sangam’. While waiting at the Airport,  I was just visualising about the ‘Kumbh-Snaan’ when I got call from Sanjay, who had come to pick me up. A little later, Zaroo too landed and Sanjay drove us to his home, elegantly designed!

Upon taking dip at Sangam, devotees normally visit Ayodhya too. Since we had spare half day with us, we did the other way. We visited Ayodhya, but we had to walk a few kilometres as vehicles were not allowed beyond a certain limit. We were impressed with the architecture of Kanak Bhavan and were a bit afraid of the monkeys who do not hesitate in raiding the devotees for food.

The next day we started for Allahabad – about five hours drive from Lucknow. Road is good and is under expansion- two lane road is being converted to four lanes. Journey in the company of friends was enjoyable with desultory talks and sharing the moments of college days, memorable ones. During the journey we called up many of our friends from the college days, to tell them that they were missing the fun – while we were having it. I swear, no one changes with time; one might mellow down a bit with age, but essentially remains the same. We enjoyed every moment on the way to Allahabad; but the uprooted old trees numbering in hundreds, cut into pieces and piled up in the fields alongside – made my heart ache. Decades old trees have been cut there for road expansion, did any one bother to plant at least the same number of trees, before they were cut? I don’t know.

 

As we approached Allahabad, hoardings and banners welcoming the devotees were visible all around. Posters of ‘Gangaa Bachaao Abhiyaan’ were also seen exhorting the devotees to not pollute the sacred river. Traffic thickened as we approached the ‘Sangam’ site and we had some difficulty in locating our tent colony. Constables of Traffic Police were busy in controlling the flow of traffic, ensuring that the regular flow of devotees do not choke the roads. Certainly, a hard task for the devotees as well as for the constables.  But, as we entered the tent colony campus of UP Tourism, we were delighted with the arrangements, cleanliness and the weather. Kamlesh joined us here and the ‘Sanagm’ of we four friends took place under the clear sunny sky, amidst sounds of bhajans and kirtans – reaching us from all directions! With the clear sky, fear of the cold weather no more bothered us. We were just excited for taking the holy dip – the next morning.

We had plenty of time at our hand on reaching the tent colony and as we had planned for Maha Kumbh Snaan on the next morning, we planned to go round the ‘Ghaat’  to have a feel of the ‘Maha Kumbh’. From our camp it was about two kilometres walk to the ‘Ghaat’. People of all age groups, different hues, languages and regions congregated at the bank of river Gangaa strengthening the mantra of  ‘unity in diversity’. From the congregation it was clear that most of the people who were there were from rural areas and my friend Kamlesh rightly commented – ‘Bharat desh Gaaon mein basataa hai’!

We went around the Ghaat, the tent area and the stalls – we were impressed with the general cleanliness all around! No foul smell, no filthy garbage, no overflowing septic tanks and no polythene in sight – something unbelievable!  It is worth appreciating and something to learn for each of us and for each of the municipal corporations of our country. Even with the overflowing population - day in and day out at this site – the administrators and those who are in charge – of maintaining cleanliness, safety and security of the area – need to be commended for the great job they are doing.

The sun was fast setting in, and with it the Ghat lit up with thousands of lamp posts all around – my friend informed us that – about 65,000 lamp posts are there to light up the area! We also wanted to have ‘darshan’ of the ‘Naga Sadhus’ and we could locate a few of them. I clicked a photo with my mobile and immediately one of the sadhus tersely warned me for my misadventure. I silently switched off my camera and we sheepishly strolled away – mission accomplished! We reached our tent with a sense of accomplishment. We celebrated our time together in the tent – first time tent night out for us.

The next morning we woke up early. We decided to skip breakfast and have ‘Maha Kumbh Snaan’ first. A Naik from army was there to escort us for the ‘Snaan’, a privilege we got due to one of my close relative who is serving in the army at a senior position. We were taken to Saraswati Ghaat, under the control of Army, to catch the motorboat for ferrying us to the ‘Sangam’ of Gangaa and Yamuna. Army has an elaborate arrangement for the family members and relatives of army men – makeshift tents with all the amenities for stay and ferrying them to and fro for the holy dip by motor boats, a real nice gesture and a reason to feel privileged! Life jackets are mandatory and proper record is maintained for all the passengers going thru army boats. We were ferried to the point where actual ‘Sangam’ of the two great rivers takes place. A long elevated temporary platform made of bamboo is there at the riverbed, which helps in anchoring the boats and for the devotees to change their dress and get down in the river for the holy dip.

The journey from ‘Saraswati Ghaat’ is scenic with the majestic Fort standing tall all along the river bank on one side and green trees lining the other side making a picturesque sight. At places the heavy walls of the Fort has collapsed and is in dilapidated condition, the authorities must be aware of it and I hope that restoration work would be taken up shortly and measures would be taken to safeguard the majestic Fort. White birds (seagulls!) in large numbers kept hovering around the motor boats, may be looking in anticipation at the devotees for throwing some edibles to them. By motor boat it was hardly fifteen minutes ride from the Ghaat to ‘Sangam’ point. It was a bright sunny morning with cool river breeze, very pleasant and the company of friends made it all the more enjoyable. As we approached the ‘Sangam’ we could clearly see the two different streams merging into one at the confluence! We were ecstatic. Immediately on reaching ‘Sangam’ we changed for the holy-dip. From the makeshift bamboo platform structure, where a number of devotees – men and women, young and old, high officials and the low ranked people shared the same space - we plunged into the  ‘Sangam’. Water was cold but not very cold, in fact, it was refreshing cold. We held our hands together, took a deep breath and dipped ourselves in the ‘Sangam’. It felt good, really good. We silently offered prayer. I prayed and wished for a peaceful society around us. Instantaneously a slogan came to my mind while having the Kumbh Snaan – Sabka saath ho, Durjanon kaa naash ho!

We bathed for quite some time and enjoyed the Sangam of two great rivers and of the great friends. I tried to swim too to impress my friends, but unfortunately, water was not deep enough! Yes, believe me, while we were on the riverbed almost at the centre of the confluence of the rivers– water was barely three to four feet deep! While swimming, many times my limbs touched the river bed! To me it is a matter of great concern – for the majestic Ganga and Yamuna are flowing with such little water. Though I do not know how deep it should have been there, but for sure – it is alarmingly shallow for the great Ganges. Are we not collectively responsible for such pathetic state of our rivers?

We left the ‘Sangam’ with great satisfaction for having a peaceful bath there. We are grateful to the army for making it enjoyable for us.

And it was time for us to say goodbye to Allahabad. Kamlesh departed for Kanpur and we three – me, Zaroo and Sanjay - left for Lucknow.

Next day in the early morning, Sanjay took us around Lucknow to get an overview of the city. Mughal architecture of old buildings like Bada Imaambaada is very impressive, they are well maintained.  Roads are wide. The development work undertaken by the erstwhile government looks impressive at first instance but other than providing beautification of the city, to me it doesn’t seem to add much value to the society. Lot of space in the city has been wasted unnecessarily in the name of car parking or open space – it needs to be covered by planting trees all around – making them work as a green belt for the city.

As our morning trip of Lucknow came to an end, Sanjay took us to a Joint for tea where Nehru and other top stalwarts used to meet and held strategic discussions over the tea. We too sipped tea and expressed satisfaction about the tea. Zaroo took full advantage of the hospitality of Sanjay and ordered for a maska-bun too. It reminded me of the hostel days. Old habits die hard!

It was time to say goodbye to Lucknow too! Me and Zaroo left for Delhi and from Delhi we proceeded for our respective homes.  Wow, what a lovely trip! Thank You Sanjay and Bhabhiji.

Can we make it again in 2025!!  I would love to be there again.