HOW LIFE IN OUR BHARAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN

The ancient scriptures of our land that had been written by great learned sages and Rishis had documented different aspects of life to guide a man born here. These truths are possibly the result of divine revelations rather than an extensive research in anthropology. A comparison of what had been laid out in the scriptures may throw some light on how much we have deviated from nature.

Life as prescribed in the scriptures :

Castes : The society was divided into four major castes, viz., Brahmins, Vaishyas, Kshatriyas and Shudhras. The caste system was a reflection of the type of society rather than an instrument of persecution or imposition. Moreover the castes were not based on one's birth into a particular caste family; far from it, it was determined by the ‘Gunas’ exhibited by an individual. ie., a person born to a kshatriya could acquire brahminical traits and recognition and vice-versa. Eg. Prahalad, born to a kshatriya king exhibited traits of a Brahmin; Emperor Ashoka is another example. No caste was considered to be a degrade compared to the other and each had a role, responsibility and duty to perform.

Gunas : The behavior of an individual was classified into 3 main categories. Viz, Saatvik, Rajas and Tamas. Saatvik guna represented detachment, calmness of mind, mind devoid of desire, contentment, serene and compassionate. Rajasic guna represented people with leadership qualitites, ambition to achieve, and authority. Kings were expected to possess such qualities. Tamassic qualities meant a meek, servile nature. Every individual is said to possess all the three gunas in certain proportions with one of them predominant. Thus Saatvik guna was attributed to Brahmins, Rajassic to Kshatriyas and Vaishyas and Tamassic to Shudhras.

Stages of Life: The lifespan of an individual was divided into three main stages based on ones duties and the expectation of the society. They are Brahmacharaya, Gruhastha and Vanaprastha.At about 8-9 years of age a boy was inducted into the stage of Brahmacharaya, which is basically a student life. All the boys from all the castes were inducted into this stage. The students learnt various arts and skills apart from knowledge of the scriptures. The learning centres were the Gurukul which were run by learned sages and savants. The skills taught to the students depended on the assessment of the gurus of the gurukul, who did it without any prejudice. The education involved both therotical and practical. The student was left in complete charge of the master of the Gurukul and parents could not interfere into its activities, which remained largely unblemished. This was applicable even to the kings. The kings son was treated the same way as other boys in the Gurukul carrying out the same activities.

Once this stage got completed, the boys marriage was performed and his role changed to providing for his family through the pursuit of an honourable profession. At this stage, the duties of the individual was stressed. That included duty towards his family, the society, devotion to his profession, duty towards his parents, his forefathers alive and dead, duty towards all the sages, rishis who gave so much of the knowledge and the duty towards rearing up of his children and provide them resources to be useful to society later. The last stage of Vanaprastham was adopted when the individual had finished all his duties towards his family and children. He was expected to retire to the forests where he would live on fruits and vegetables and spend his time meditating on God.

Composition of the body and nature: The sacred truth one learns here is that the human body is made up of the same materials that make up the nature around him. ie.. The Panchboothams. They are air, water, fire, ether and earth. These five elements are present in perfect proportions in the unspoilt nature. The same five elements in different proportions make up the human body. The individual must always keep these five elements in his body in balanced proportions for leading a healthy life. Even if one of these elements goes out of proportion, it will lead to damaging results. For eg.when an individual becomes angry, the fire in him increases out of proportion which may lead to certain harmful effects in his body. If one is fat, he is basically increasing the earth proportion in him which must be avoided.

But life in actuality at present times:

Caste :In the present days the castes are divided purely based on ones birth. Eg. a Brahmin born in a Brahmin family becomes one throughout his life. The caste system came to be imposed on the individual leading to a lot of acrimony in the society. It became a tool for persecution and exploitation.

Gunas : These gunas are not well recognized in our present society. Todays society does not appreciate Saatvik guna though the scriptures proclaim it to be ultimate to happiness. Rajassic is promoted to be the most desired behavior nowadays. But can everybody be a king, can everybody wield authority?. Similarly Tamassic guna is suppressed and exploited for selfish gains.

Stages of life : Students are admitted to the school at a very young age of 3 years and are expected to undergo 20 years or more of education that are largely irrelevant to his later life or to the society he lives in. The career of the individual is decided on the basis of his parents' choice, their social status and the financial prowess with little regard to the child’s aptitude. The school life consists more of mechanical activities that teach more of evil ways of the world rather than virtues. With the result evil, nowadays, occupies more of space in the human mind, leading to a life more and more chaotic day by day. The stress is laid on earning more money, wielding more power and authority. After school education , family is added. Children are brought into this world but duties are all forgotten.

Composition of the body and nature: The significance of these five elements is still not understood by this world in the real sense. Without realizing this fact, medicines are administered by the doctors to bring the elements of the body to balance. Since there is no realization that this body and nature are made up of the same matter, there is large scale misuse of the nature that has resulted in deforestation, climatic changes, natural disasters, global warming, extinction of the plant and animal species, unhealthy farming and plundering of natural resources.

While it is true that there will be a general decline in the values of the society where evil will slowly and surely occupy more and more space, the rate at which this is happening is alarming. Though there is no escape from this phenomenon, I wonder whether the rate of degradation, at least, is in the control of the people. But we also must know the final solution that is again mentioned in our scriptures. That there will be an ‘avatar’ to rid this world of the evil and to re-establish the ‘dharma’, which is the righteousness. Till such time however, mankind will suffer. Can our children endure such sufferings?.

Hinduism and its Rituals

Hinduism is based on Vedas. Vedas are a philosophy, in so much as it is a tretise on how to lead an ideal life rather than a religious do’s and don’t’s. Vedas do not bind any individual on its practise. They are but a guiding force, a torch for the man to equip himself in order to live a respectable life and achieve his Universal Goal.

This is where Hinduism differs from other religions. The holy books of other religions prescribe an individual his do’s and don’ts. There is, however, one part of Vedas that deals with the subject of rituals, which is mentioned as one’s duty which must be done in order to achieve the Universal Goal. In so much as the teachings in the Vedas are immortal and is valid for all times, its rituals prescribed may not be and can differ with the change. Over the years these rituals were modified by societies probably in line with the environment prevailing at that time. Such modifications if not done subsequently by changing societies, lead to superstitions. Strangely, the Organisations or individuals behind these modifications are largely unknown.

There are so many rituals that an individual is required to perform in his life which need to be considered in the present times. One of them is the rituals to be performed on the death of his relative. I am sure not many understand the significance behind these rituals. They blindly pay the money to the purohit to perform these rituals. Rituals done without a dedications and devotion are worse than not performing them. Some of the individuals are not able to perform such rituals. For eg. a son based abroad cannot be expected to perform these rituals in the true spirit. There are instances when purohits are not sincere and fleece the hapless man. In certain cities in our own country it is becoming increasingly difficult to find purohits to perform them. Also rituals vary depending on the communities and regions. There is something in such rituals called as ‘Dharma’ or charity, which the bereaved person is supposed to compulsorily give. But the quality and quantity varies with the interpretation of the priest. Sometimes it so happens that the sons and daughters of the priest are well settled abroad and the priest being well-to-do now feels below his dignity to received such charities. In the olden days when there were joint familes with many members in a family, the concept of family doctor or family priest existed. Both these have broken up in today’s world.

In other religions the procedure to be followed in the funeral service is done by the Institution, such as the Church or the Dargah. But in Hinduism this is left to the priest. There are some Hindu Organisations involved in such activities but they are confined to that small area.

Certain rituals are based on caste. The caste system itself has become irrelevant today and therefore the rituals based on these also stand redundant in today’s times.

The Hindu religious organisations must unify and research into these rituals. They must retain relevant and valid rituals and discard irrelevant and unwanted. They must also entrust the performance of such rituals to certain bodies employing priests who can guide the common men towards a satisfying performance of such rituals both in terms of quality and cost. The charges for various services can be prescribed. The quantum of charity can be left to the individual depending on his financial capability. In the absence of a laid out procedure an individual born in a Hindu family is always left with a dubious mind whether he has done his duty or not. He is forced to come to a compromise rather than a satisfaction that he has been able to perform his duty towards his relatives, neighbours and society at large.

THE STORY OF AN INDIAN

Mohandas was born in Chennai, India. When he was a baby he found lot of faces around him smiling and trying to please him. He used to be carried in so many hands that he felt like a little kangaroo. By the time he learnt to walk, he found his mother trying to teach him alphabets, identify fruits, flowers, vegetables and animals though he wondered what he was going to do with that in that age. Sometime later he learnt to speak a few words. Soon after that, to his surprise, he was taken to a place away from his familiar surroundings to a large house, later to be called as school, to meet an elderly lady. He was just 2-1/2 at that time. The lady asked him his name, which he was himself not able to pronounce properly, some names of fruits,vegetables and things which his mother had already taught him. Then the lady’s attention turned towards his parents to whom she was asking a lot of questions. This happened at 5 to 6 times at other places too. Then finally his parents seemed to sigh with relief when he was admitted to something called as a school. He later learnt that his parents had undergone terrible physical and mental stress to get him admitted to school. The first day he was separated from mother, Mohandas cried a lot that his tears would not dry up for a long time. However, there were lots of things to play, lot of children of his age and some adults who went about their work unmindful of any of the children present. Gradually he came to understand that for sometime every day he has to spend in that place, which he got used to ultimately. Slowly and steadily he grew up and he began to realize that he has to learn a lot of weird looking images called alphabets each of which had a separate sound and some songs called as rhymes. Back home from school, he was given food, a nap after which he could play with some children from the neighborhood. He became familiar with all of them. He found that each of them had different things; one had a tricycle which could horn; another had an instrument on which he could play a few rhymes and another had a wrist watch which showed some numbers. His own parents had bought him some toys which he would share with others. He asked his parents for one or more things which the others possessed. His father and mother would tell him to play with what he had, sometimes softly, sometimes kindly and sometimes sternly. Mohandas would get adamant at times and throw tantrums. Beyond school and such play he found that television was on at home. He got attracted to it as it showed a lot of variety in various colours. Sometimes he found animated characters, sometimes real animals, other times real humans performing various actions. In fact the actions were so many and varied that he used to get confused. Many times he found something called as a cinema on televisions where humans behaved like animals and danced like lights.

As years rolled by he found that his school bag was getting heavier and heavier year after year. The amount of materials he needed to study also went on increasing. He had in school, every year, three big examinations and many tests in which he was expected to write as many papers what he learned in the classes. He was coming to school in a school-bus and he saw some of his classmates come in cars. He also found some classmates come walking but nobody seemed to pay any attention to them. Those who came in cars were always popular among other students, teachers and officials. They also bought some gadgets, such as mobile phones, i-pods, to school to show. In addition to that they would tell Mohandas that they possessed this and that at home which he believed. He failed to understand why his parents would not buy him those things. Even if they would it would be one of those things in a very long time, by which time those boys had something superior. He was taught that our country is not rich and that all Indian are equal. But he found things contrary to that. He realized that money is worshiped and the moneyed people are accorded special treatment. He found that his father went to his office in the morning and returned late in the evening and his mother worked all through the day, but they could not get him what he wanted. He also saw that his neighbour uncle who did not work so hard and skipped office on some days, but had lot of things he could buy for his family. On his query, his mother told him that the uncle works for a Government Department where not only he is paid handsomely, but gets lots of money other that salary. He was not able to understand why.

The school also offered him nothing other than studies for they had no playground, no after-school activities. Some students had lucky breaks and succeeded in sports, some in games, some in quiz and debate contests. The school, however, claimed credit for their achievements. As he came to higher classes he realized that the marks he scored in the examinations mattered a lot. It was immaterial whether one was gaining knowledge or not. There was competition between schools in the number of students they were able to pass out with highest marks.

Thus far continued, Mohandas could, somehow, fare well in his Xth Std. board examinations. Then the field of study branched out as Science, commerce and arts. He was told that bright students always chose science. If he missed out he could select commerce. Weak students were left to take arts stream. He was one among the few fortunate to get into science stream. But he did not realize that he has just got into lions jaws. The next two years he was told that he needed to do nothing other than study because he needed to secure a seat in a premier Institute. He was told that his future is Insured if he could get admission into one of the premier Institutes that would make him financially very well-off, that formed the basis of his status and marriage. He was well and truly into the rat race. Some of his fellow students were fortunate enough to enroll into tutorial classes that made a roaring business. Mohandas was less fortunate as his family could not afford that. He finally landed a seat in an engineering college that, though was not a premier institute, was a consolatory choice. He learnt that his parents who continued to struggle during his school days to pay the school fees, had to borrow to see through his college education. When he was nearing the end of his engineering degree, he was told that an MBA degree would increase his value manyfold. So the race continued. Here again he missed premier institute as the number of seats available is a fraction of the total number of candidates attempted. The amount of money earned by these institutes as prospectus cost and registration fees is stupendous. Mohandas joined a secondary institute that increased his family burden for two more years.

After studies Mohandas could land a job immediately in a private firm, one of the few fortunate ones though. Though the starting pay was decent he was made to work very hard, 12 hours a day, all of 6 days in the week. Mohandas found his parents a relived lot though exhausted physically, morally and mentally.

Mohandas was an officer by then, but he found life a struggle. He had an option to migrate to USA or to some other Western Country or to stay put in India and work his way up. Since he could not burden his family more, he chose the latter. He found, however, life very hard in this Country. There were pressures in the office due to prejudices and favoritism within. He was told to be ambitious but that had a price to pay. He found he was on an obstacle course and there was nothing he could do other than continue running. He found that the Government took away a large part of his salary in the form of Income-tax, professional tax, property tax, road tax, vehicle tax, service tax, sales tax, excise duty and electricity charges. All these, he was supposed to pay to the Government in advance. But the government took its own time to pay back the excess collected, sometimes years. He learnt that he has to pay bribe to some persons in the Government in order to get his own money back. Having paid for all these government taxes he has not got its worth. The roads are bad, full of holes and craters. There were no pavements on the roads. Due to the bad condition of the roads, he incurred heavy losses in the maintenance of his vehicle but that is not considered by the authorities. Every day there were power shutdowns for long hours and worse he cannot question the concerned departments. Every day he found one or more of the agencies striking work that put the common men to untold miseries and personal losses, but not a word of protest raised. On employment, most of the Private sector took advantage of its employees and extracted work by hanging a ‘Democles sword’ over them whereas the Government sector bred inefficiency due to the job security cover given to its employees. Farmers and poor people were appeased and pampered as vote banks by unscrupulous politicians.

He found that all around him there was filth, stench but people carried on. People were polluting the environment, contrary to what they studied in schools, but had no regard for it. They had no road sense and no regard for others life and property except their own. Corruption affected the common man. There were riches and poverty co-existing everywhere in the form of mansions, high rise buildings neighbouring slums but nothing wrong was felt in that disparity. Caste & regional clashes were common but politicians reveled in propagating ‘Unity in Diversity’ theory. It seemed that people were waiting for a spark to ignite to spread violence and mayhem. Courts existed, so were the laws, but people could not get justice. In any case, the courts had so much of backlog of cases that justice took a lifetime. Trains, buses, shopping malls, roads, airports and all the public places were teeming with millions of people. He found long and serpentine queues at bus stations, train booking counters, at Govt. bill counters, at banks, at schools during admissions, at embassies, and there seemed to be no escape for its people. Government scarcely addressed the problems facing this country. There were scores of reasons such as variety of languages, castes, creeds, religions, dialects etc. inflaming hatred among the people. The Country seemed to be perennially at war with its neighbours like Pakistan, China, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka that left its citizens with no peace. With all these the country had to cope up with terrorist strikes at frequent intervals.

And then when Mohandas gets married and becomes a father the cycle of life starts once again.

Why is life a constant struggle in this Country?. If not for the spiritual philosophy and the spiritual path, life in this country is not worth living. Is all these suffering a pre-requisite to launch into a spiritual path?. Is this a ‘hell on earth” region.

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE REAL ESTATE BOOM

Real estate is considered as the best investment option nowadays. That is why we find a mad rush to buy plots and houses without a thought whether the price quoted is justified or not. True, in a market driven economy, any market is available for a man to invest, develop, grow and profit. But this is not always good for a developing economy. It requires a level of maturity and responsibility in an individual to invest in such kind of instruments. Housing is a basic need of the human being to be provided by the State in any kind of economy. The State must aid the individual, at least, indirectly, if not directly, to live under a roof.

What happens when in a developing country like India, people are allowed to invest in real estate and housing. It becomes a plaything in the hands of the rich and the well-to-do. The rich is allowed to buy indiscriminately any number of houses or plots, often more than the one he & his family can comfortably reside in, as a sound investment option and to rake in profits. For every one such person there are probably 10 or even 50 person going without a house. Does it not create an imbalance in the society?. Why can’t there be a ceiling that a family can own, at best, two houses only?. Two houses, because, in many cases, a man inherits a house in addition to the one he has built. Housing as a sector should be only in the hands of the Government interested in the welfare of it’s subjects and not opened to private participation.

Land ceiling act came into being to help small farmers who are a big vote bank for our politicians. But, in spite of such an act, are not big and rich farmers thriving now?. Look at the unbridled havoc caused by the real estate boom. Private Enterprises with an eye on the profits are buying farm lands from the farmers to convert them into housing plots and houses. This in effect reduces the amount of land available for cultivation, thereby reducing the food grains production. Apart from that, it causes a migration of the farmers from rural areas to cities which can cause a social catastrophe later.

Housing and plots are developed by the promoters with a pure profit motive and do not consider the infrastructural faciltities available at the sites. Are the resources like water, roads,sanitation facilities available at the site?. Clearance is obtained from the local Government offices often by the payment of bribe. Are the soil condition fit for building houses at that place?. None of these considerations are taken into account either by the promoters or the rich buyers, because profit is their sole motive.

In a welfare state, the Government must always consider how to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor. The society must balance these two classes in order to create a peaceful life for its citizens. Housing, Education and health must be provided by the State (not necessarily free) if a balanced and peaceful society is to be built.