Third wave, Omicron wave, is peaking up. Election Campaigns are ON.
Jai Hind. As the unfurling of tricolour across the nooks and corners of India reminds us – it is 72 years of Republic for us the people, by ‘we the people’. Hope, Faith and Promise of – Democracy, Justice, Liberty, Equality and Fraternity – to all of us, working for all of us. Can we look inside, introspect, be better human beings of this republic, and can we look outside, join hands with others and contribute to us becoming a better republic, better India, better world? Better 2022, better twenties, better century?
GDP is getting back. We need to work on widening Inequities to contract. Oxfam reports: 100 Indians own the wealth equal to some 40% poor in India. CoVID adds 40 more billionaires, while doubling the number of poor. 84% households suffer decline in incomes. Can these numbers be reversed? What can be done? Income tax reforms in order. Why should Government give salaries and collect taxes from them again for these salaries – can’t they be tax-free? Do we really need so many tax exemption clauses? Do we need to tax societies, trusts, cooperatives? Why a nil tax return can’t be a simple one line, ‘no income that is taxable’?
We need to become nature-centric. Our nutrition. Our consumption. Our farming. Our health. Our lives. We need to be hybrid. Technology with local rootedness. In many a sphere. Schooling in the mother tongue in the beginning. We need to payback. Maybe, useful payback is the only way.
Government of India announced Padma Awards. The awardees include CDS – Late Bipin Rawat; CoVID vaccine makers – Ellas, Cyprus; Tatas – N Chandrasekharan, Microsoft – Satya Nadella, Google – Sundar Pichai; Civil Servants – Guruprasad Mohapatra; Grassroots Innovator – Abdul Khader; Agriculture – Amai Mahalinga Naik, Socialwork – KV Rabiya; ‘Spiritual’ – Garikapati, Tulku Rinpoche, Sivananda, Brahmeshanand Acharya et al.
Andhra Pradesh finally moves to have more districts – 26 from existing 13 – Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Manyam, Alluri Sitaramaraju, Visakhapatnam, Anakapalle, Kakinada, Konaseema, East Godavari (Rajamahendravaram), West Godavari (Bhimavaram), Eluru, Krishna, NTR, Guntur, Palnadu, Bapatla, Praskasam, PSR Nellore, Sri Balaji, Chittoor, Annamayya, Sri Sathya Sai, Ananthapuramu, Nandyala, Kurnool, YSR Kadapa. 12 new divisions are expected. Mandal and GP numbers may not go up as of now.
Do we understand persons? Do we understand grief? Do we understand the pain, suffering, poverty? Can a ‘condolences’ help? Can a ‘take care’ help? Can a ‘be strong’ help? Can a ‘sorry, :(‘ help? Can we share more moments together? Can we listen? Can we tell the stories of life lived? Micro-interests? Little secrets? Notes?
We hear that the mass extinction (sixth in the last 450 million years) has already started. A human-driven extinction. We hear that world’s farms are breaking. 34% of farmland is degraded. Water is overdrawn. Half the population is lacking in healthy diets. Localized, customized, 365-day, multi-layered. multi-cropping patterns need to be adopted, in sync with changing climate change and soil changes. This has to be fast-paced, scaled-up, tracked and supported.
How do we work in participatory movements? Listening in, accepting dissent is the first non-negotiable, followed by transparency and accountability. A structure, however informal, helps. Non-constraining non-limiting resources – people, their time, energy and funds matter. As generic support, support for generic elements of the movement. Campaigns, collective voices are necessary complements. For larger participation, broader inclusion, demonstrated equity core. This is the same whether the movements are for serving ourselves, our development and/or our struggles for our rights and entitlements. Enlisting the range of people from different walks of life also helps. It amplifies the thoughts, voices, actions. Paving ways for mechanisms, systems for better and sustainable tomorrow is integral to the unsaid agenda of these movements. This includes freedom/right to live, associate and express. With dignity. Without fear, anxiety.
All of us are born equal, equal with rights and entitlements to have better context, governance, education and resources that ensure decent life, living, livelihoods, linkages, leadership, learning and love. Is it not? The situation on-ground is not guaranteeing this. But, let us be clear – everything changes and nothing remains without change. Time eats up, time makes up and time creates and erases. Even the body, health, abilities, vision, agenda, thoughts. Can we be conscious of this?
Hardships, sufferings make us ‘succeed’ towards extraordinary ends. In a relationship, in a business, in an activity, in mastery. If only we do not stop, and push ourselves to the hilt. If only we are flexible. Then these sufferings lead us to smooth ‘walks’. Obstacles are the way. Can we get going?
Yes, we can. If we do not give up. If we treat all life as we would like ourselves to be treated. If we listen within. If we listen in. If we cycle – plan, do/track, reflect, plan. What, how, with why. In the flow of N. For 7L.
Join us in the world of conscious getting into yoga of flowing for useful coexistence – chetanayoga for 7L.
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