Voting has begun in phase 1; and phase 2 campaign ends in 2 days. In Bihar assembly elections and other bye-elections across the country. Counting is on 14 November. Let us wait and see how the voters have voted, for what end.
150 years of Vande Maataram. National Song of India. First two stanzas of the six-stanza poem written by Bankim Chandra Chatterjee.. as part of novel – Anandmath.
Vande Maataram
sujalaam suphalaam malayaja sheetalaam sasyasyaamalaam maataram Vande Maataram
subrahjyotsna pulakitayaamineem Pullakusumita drumadalashobineem suhaasinieem sumadhurabhashineem sukhadaam varadaam maataram Vande Maataram
Mother, I bow to thee! Rich with thy hurrying streams, Bright with thy orchard gleams, Cool with the winds of delight, Dark fields waving, Mother of might, Mother free. Glory of moonlight dreams, Over thy branches and lordly streams, Clad in thy blossoming trees, Mother, giver of ease, Laughing low and sweet, Mother, I kiss thy feet, Speaker sweet and low, Mother, to thee I bow.
Constituent Assembly of India’s President, Dr Rajendra Prasad, concluded: The composition consisting of the words and music known as Jana Gana Mana is the National Anthem of India, subject to such alterations in the words as the Government may authorise as occasion arises; and the song Vande Maataram, which has played a historic part in the struggle for Indian freedom, shall be honoured equally with Jana Gana Mana and shall have equal status with it.
100+ different versions recorded using Indian classical ragas. Versions of the song have been visualised on celluloid in a number of films. The tune set for the All India Radio station version was believed to be composed by Pandit Ravi Shankar, in Desh raga. Vande Maataram, from the movie Anand Math, was ranked second amongst 7000 famous songs considered across the globe.
Madras High Court ruled that the Vande Maataram shall be sung or played at least once a week in all schools, universities and other educational institutions of Tamil Nadu; the song should be played or sung in government offices and industrial facilities at least once a month. Can we take the cue, and can we sing our National Anthem and National Song, Local State songs on all important event days? Daily/Weekly/Monthly?
Demonetization. Old currency notes gave way to new. Most people slowly reached digital money receipts and payments. At the cutting edge, 50%+ transactions are digital. The poor, vulnerable, marginalized included. Pico-nano enterprises, vendors included. Black money could not be unearthed much but old fake currency notes might have gone. It is possible new fake currency notes might have entered.
Amul is now number 1 co-operative in the world. Can we have more amuls? Can we have amuls in food systems? N-farming, N-living food systems.
Environment. Let us care for the Environment, climate. Let us care for the Planet, earth, soils, water, energy. Let us care for cooling the planet. Let us work to stop/reverse breach of planetary boundaries. Let us care for the people’s local food-nutrition-health value-chains, enterprises, institutions-collectives, systems. Let us work to being-becoming-staying resilient. Let us care for the people, consumers, and their wellbeing. Can we?
Andrea Hoffman of Roche: AP Community-managed Natural Farming is globally informed, yet locally grounded effort. NF system(s) is a civilizational change paradigm shift. A proven concept among smallholders. NF produces nutritious, non-toxic food; enhances livelihoods and community wellbeing. A pathway to the future of default NF everywhere.
Learning. Less than 10% of our learning, learning facilitators, trainers, mentors are self-learners. This is despite the fact that we were all born with infinite curiosity. Are we therefore, graduated into forced, reluctant learners? We stop learning to improve ourselves; not even in most learning, training, management and leadership programmes. Our attention spans have come down. We seek personalized attention, facilitation. But we get mass consumption and template based learning/training. Certificates became important rather than the learning. Good learning facilitators/mentors do not get rewarded well. How do we be self-propelled beings, livelihood workers, leveragers, leaders, learners? Can we be? Can we be one step ahead in learning? Curiosity, connecting the dots, transcending analytics, algorithms, deep tech? Can we invest into learning and being useful lifelong?
Naivaasya Kalaasaala. Government Residential Junior College. At Nagarjuna Sagar. The most prestigious residential colleges in the combined Telugu states. We are the children of this spirit – excellence, service, being useful. Can we transcend the current local APRJC to that spirit in Telugu States and beyond? Can we support the entire Gurukul systems effort? Can we start a model institution of the prestige, standard we were familiar with? Can we offer support system, scholarships, mentoring to all Gurukul fraternity? As our friend Ravindra K articulated: can we ensure its legacy and spirit continues in meaningful and impactful ways? Can we remain grateful? Can we channel our gratitude, our paying back to society? Notwithstanding all this, the spirit continues to drive us in everything we do.
Again, as Ravindra wrote: we need to celebrate this spirit. We need to acknowledge the torchbearers of this spirit. True torchbearers through their work, talent, merit, character, seminal contribution(s) including being role models, shining examples, dependable mentors in taking many along forward into this spirit. Can we do this? Let us do it. Let us not miss out on these in the Golden Jubilee Celebrations. At Nagarjuna Sagar, Vijayapuri South. In the footsteps of Nagarjuna.
Dr Lopa Mehta, 78, wrote a living will. She mentioned – When the body stops cooperating, when there is no chance of recovery, do not perform treatments on me. No ventilators, no tubes, no unnecessary hospital commotion. My final moments should pass peacefully. Do not stop my body. Let it go.… Wisdom should take precedence over the stubborn insistence on treatments.
Dr Lopa wrote on death. When the vital energy in the body is depleted, the subtle body separates from the physical body. At that moment, the body becomes still – the life force leaves. It is the internal rhythm of the body. This begins in the womb, progresses, and culminates in death. This energy is constantly being spent every moment. Every cell, every organ completes its lifespan. And when the entire body’s quota is exhausted, the body comes to rest peacefully. It is a biological time. No one dies incomplete. And when that moment comes… face it peacefully, with dignity. Death is the next stage in the journey of life. No science can make it eternal.
Can we make our lives better, greater et al, when we are living? Rather than fighting ‘death’. Can we decrease the stress and strain in our strained backs, bodies, minds, hearts? Can we keep learning, keep being useful, to the people/lives around us, as many as possible, as long as possible, as yoga, meditation, reflection? Can we be in N-living? Can we ‘influence more of us’ into this?
Yes, we can. If we coexist, flowing. In sync with vital energy, life force. In N? jeevasakthiyoga for 7L.