A flawed Education

Years after I had finished my school education, I am reading many history and social science books. Now while reading I am coming across the glaring flaws in the schooling I had. I can explain you by taking one example.

We used to have a question in Malayalam language paper to explain the context of a piece of poem given. Most common lines were as follows

"മാറ്റുവിൻ ചട്ടങ്ങളെ സ്വയമല്ലെങ്കിൽ

മാറ്റുമതുകളീ നിങ്ങളെ താൻ"

which translates to "Change the rules yourself otherwise

they will remove you itself"

This was the lines of the revolutionary poet Kumaranasan, who fought against the social injustices like caste system and untouchability prevalent at that time. Now I can understand the meaning of the lines and relate it to the world outside. I can see the instances where the old unchanging rules led to the destruction of the community itself. I can see why the rules are to be changed. I see the evils that blind following of rules have done to our society.

But as a child, I was not able to comprehend the context or couldn't understand what the poet meant. The only rules I know that time was such as "Don't talk in the class", "Complete your homework" etc. Nor I could get answer to the question why we should change the rules. For me changing rules meant only catastrophe in form of beatings!! Obviously I didn't had an idea how the rules can remove a person.

Had the teacher explained us the social revolution, that took place in our land, I could have made sense of this whole ritual of writing the answer for the exam. How powerfully the language classes could have been used to teach about the society. The teachers had many ways to escape - either to explain properly, or to frighten those who question, or to skip the portion or even to politely admit the helplessness. We as students read many guides, which wrote so much neither we nor they understood. We had only two ways either to by heart it and reproduce in the exam paper or to fill the answer space with the same lines in the questions in different ways - simplified, complicated, in passive and active voices. The end of the story.

The result is a generation unsympathetic with the social problems outside, also uninterested in the literature and arts.

Now I am sympathising with myself!! Nostalgia!!

The Missing Women in Public Space

I was at my mother in law's house, in a small village of Telangana. It was past 6 pm. A group of girls come singing bhajans. It was surprising for me because it was first time in my life I have seen a group of small girls going out their home un-escorted after 6 O'clock in the evening. In ,Kerala, my home state, one cannot even imagine this situation. So secluded are their girls in so famed developed state with world standard educational and health indicators. It may be a wonder to the outsiders that the public place is closed even today for a girl or a women here.

The state has succeeded in overthrowing the Brahmin domination, un-touchability etc , but failed liberate and empower its women.

Even though the society is matrilineal, patriarchal norms are dominant. The women is almost excluded from the rituals. In other states the situation is better and for every function or ritual the women are included. They have a role even in the funeral rituals. But here the women are only to cry and stay indoors during the final ceremony. Even the most beloved ones are not allowed to see the cremation ceremony. 

These exclusions were very embarrassing for me as a child when my male cousins were given all the privileges and freedom. And they used to show ego to us on the basis of these undue importance given to them. Similarly in the temple festivals, the ladies are only allowed to perform pongala (the rice dish). But I can see ladies participating in the festivals carrying head gears and pots and divulging themselves in ecstasy and dances in other states.

The professions that a girl has to choose is also dictated by the society. They are seen suited to teaching and care giving professions.  This can be reason for the overwhelming number of the Malayali nurses and teachers working in other parts of India and outside India.

Even when women are venturing into male dominated fields such as politics, there are always considered as subordinate. Kerala have not yet had a woman chief minister or in other crucial ministries of home and finance.

The missing women from the public spaces can be seen as another form of discrimination that is manifested in worst form of missing girl children.

What is there in a "sari" ?

Sari or the 5-6 metre length single piece of cloth is considered as the standard wear of women in India. Why our women are wearing this lengthy, cumbersome cloth even us our men shifted to the stitched pants and shirts? It is because the society tells them it is their attire. I will see this as a kind of social control. In many parts of India this attire is must for a married women and if she tries any thing new, it is looked down upon. 

One fact I am not able to apprehend is about on what basis our people is advocating sari? Surely it is not based on comfort. For physical work it is the most inconvienient wear. One may tell that it is the most suiting for a lady, she looks good in it etc. Its all about the look not the convenience. They may tell it is the most decent. But in my opinion sari is the most sexiest wear. It is the most exposing. The ground of advocating it on the basis of 'looking good' presents an chauvinist viewpoint.

There are schools which prescribes sari as mandatory wear for lady teachers. Why the same school allows the male teachers to come in pants and not make doti mandatory? The teachers standing before the adolescent students should always be conscious when she is wearing a sari which not a full covering attire. They can better opt for other garments and be confident while standing in front of the children. 

A similar case can be shown in 'parda'. The attire has in origin in Arab countries where the climatic conditions forces them to wear a full covering dress. We can see the men in these countries also in full covered attire. But they adopted the same dress for women in other countries where as the men cleverly shun it in other regions. Why women is not given freedom to select an attire suiting the climatic conditions?

Selecting a dress for their women by the society presents nothing but the control the society exercises over them. I am not finding any other logical basis for this imposition. They cry for women empowerment and freedom should start from the basic freedom of the personal choices to select the appropriate and convenient clothing.

The Asuras and The Devas

When you chant hymns praising the God as destroyer of Mahishasura or other Asuras, have you ever wondered who are the Devas and the Asuras? We will have to go back in timeline to find the answers.

It was during 2000- 1000 BCE that the Aryans came to settle in India. They pushed the original population to further south and east to settle in the land. Then the Vedic era started. Their kings become heroes of the epics Ramayana and Mahabharatha. The Aryans were described as Devas and their enemies as Asuras.   They popularized the Gods worshiped in Hinduism and absorbed the local gods into its straggled arena in course of time.  Thus lords Muruga , Ayyappa were accommodated to the array of Vedic Gods  . Some Asura rajas such as Mahabali and Kubera were so noble that even the writers could not help themselves from mentioning them .The fairer and cuter cows they bought along with them got superior place over the black and beastly buffalos. Thus the buffalo king “Mahishasura” undoubtedly represent the original population in India. It really pricks to think that the demons mentioned in our prayer songs were the unsung heroes who resisted the invaders!!!

Why Indian Society Can’t Prefer Girl Child

The skewed child sex ratio of India shows the preference given to the boy child by the society. Why the society can’t prefer girl child?

The most expected answer will be the menace - Dowry. It is a major reason but not the only reason. The perspective changes with different communities.

 For poor families money matters the most. Some will be driven to debt trap after their daughter/s marriage. And the financial woes are not ending there. Expenses will be mounting on the girl parents for after marriage events such as child birth. This system is in its pinnacle in some communities in Tamilnadu, the girl’s family has to provide everything for settling the new family after marriage. The rituals are congruous with the festivals to supply the furniture, gold, money etc to the son-in-law’s household. So having a girl child means embracing never ending commitments. This frustration can be seen from the selective infanticide prevailing in the state.

For rural farmer families in Andra, financial matters won’t pester much for having girl child, in fact they will keep a many times the fortune that  they are giving for daughter,  for sons. It is the social customs rendering girls non desirable. After marriage girls will be part of her husband’s family, even her clan changes. Sons will take care of their parents in old age. Not having male offspring means old age insecure. Sons will carry the family legacy; they will do to ceremonies for forefathers, so that after life will be peaceful. The concept of taking care of afterlife compromising comforts of the present world seems to be irony. For the farmer families, where the whole family contributes in farm work, man power is very important. Having son, they will get the service of daughter-in-laws also. Same time the girl’s parents get the additional job of taking care of her during pregnancy, child care etc which demands absence from farm work, which can invariably create dents in the income. Thus people having daughters are losers.

Even though the present real life status shows sons abandoning their parents at old age or parents are living with daughters at old age, the social mentality has not changed in favour of neutral position. For decimating the social phantom, the choice of residence of couple after marriage should be made optional in lieu of the mandate that they should be in husband’s home.

The matrilineal family system in some communities in Kerala, major share of wealth is transferred to the females. But this system engulfed by dowry system. Instead of being a voluntary transfer, it has changed into demanded one by the bridegroom’s family. In such families, having sister means added responsibility and loss of wealth for the brother, and they expect compensation for this loss from the family of their fiancees. Thus boy brings fortunes and meanwhile girls take away it. Investment on education for girl child is seen as an investment which gives no returns.

Widows are seen as a burden to society. They are not included in any auspicious occasions. Do society do like this to the widower? Why we are having large proportion of widows than widowers? First of all widow remarriage is not encouraged. Huge inter spousal age difference is another reason. Given the fact that average life expectancy of women is more than man, at the time of marriage girls should be of higher age, so that the couple can have a long married life. Why society demands otherwise and pushes majority of women to solitude in their late ages?

Thus we can see that all the rules made are pro male. The patriarchal family system which gives undue importance to the male folk has to be blamed.  The society has made women ignorant and dependent by denying them education, opportunities, employment and self development. In course of time when they become ignorant and dependent, they are subjected to offense for not knowing anything and   capability to do anything. This stereotyping further deteriorated their situation and concealed the abilities. The inequality is comparatively less in the lower class families where both participate in economic activities. The social taboo prevents the women from upper class doing work outside. So they got imprisoned in their homes totally subjecting to the male members. The society failed to provide education or self employment to them. Our culture views women as source of impurity, evil and sin. The old literature claims women inferior to men. Manu says women do not deserve freedom. Even the widely applauded Gita says girl children are born to sinned mothers. This set of thoughts is imprinted in the mind of every Indian. Women feel proud to be mother of a son; but not of a daughter. Being a daughter’s mother she has to endure humiliation and sympathy from the public.  Women folk bear the blame for everything – for any ill fates happening in family, misbehavior of children, and even for giving birth to girls. They are blamed to be covetous for ornaments and dresses and for being beauty conscious; but the fact is men folk likes to see them ornamented and well dressed. Media also have pro male lineage. Movies stereotypes women. They show parents of girl child to be vulnerable. They have to abstain from duties as responsible officer in fear of assault of their daughters by the antisocial elements. In other hand they show sons adding to their father’s glory.

Actually men bring misfortune to the family by the vice of alcoholism. This drives family into debt and pandemonium. There women strive hard to keep the family going at the same time bears abuses from the drunkard. The voice of such ill-fated women are unheard by the society.

The Falling Rupee

In 2008, when the American economy was in crisis our economy was affected. Now when it is recovering too, our economy is affected.Why Indian Rupee too sensitive? Why it is losing its shine? Why nobody wants to purchase our currency?

The American Central bank is attracting liquidity by quantitative easing (a method by which central bank infuses cash into the economy, by providing credit to the financial institutions through purchase of their assets). This lucrative offer is alluring the investments in other countries back to their homeland.Albeit all the currencies have nosedived in response to the global scenario, Rupee was ahead in the slid.Our ever widening Current Account Deficit has done the mischief. 

Imagine the Indian economy and Rupee similar to a house hold which is exchanging in silver coins. If all the traders are demanding that payment should be made in terms of gold coins only, they have to purchase gold coins in exchange of silver coins for making payments.If there is more demand for gold in the market apparently from other households also whose medium may be coins other than silver, there will be reluctance to accept silver coins in exchange of gold coins in the market.Thus the value of silver goes down. In addition to this if expenditure of the household is more than the income, they will have to borrow gold. Thus they end up in a debt cycle, which can be fatal, otherwise alternate source of income is explored.

We are depending on the imports for the lion's share of our crude oil demand. We cannot control our love for the yellow metal also. (The RBI data shows 30 percent of the trade deficit for the previous two years was due to gold imports).These two are the major draining factors of our foreign exchange.

The war looming over Syria has inducted fear in the market and the crude prices shot up. Mean while Loksabha gave consent to the Food Security bill which may further adds to the fiscal deficit. The capacity of our economy to contain the fiscal deficit and CAD is despised. Along with this dagger hanging over the head, foe in the form of inflation also ailing the economy. Fewer investments, waning industrial growth ,lesser job opportunities etc are adding oil in the fire.

We have to save our currency by hedging the gap between the Rupee and the Dollar. The currency swap arrangement -paying in terms of currency equivalent to another currency, as we have with Japan and Bhutan can help. Otherwise pacts such as the agreement with Iran,whose economy is tightened by US sanctions, to pay in Rupee for crude oil can also help.

The Irony of Drought and Flood

The state that is blessed with 44 rivers(don't imagine large rivers like  Godavari or Kauveri, these are short rivers), having annual rainfall more than 300 mm, had to approach the central government for drought relief fund in the year 2013.It had to cry again for flood relief,hardly one month after receiving drought relief. This is quite an irony.Why water is so scare during summer? Where the water from heavy rains escaping? This twin disasters are due to the mismanagement of the resources. When it is raining , all water is heading towards the sea, without saturating the soil. The avaricious clearing of forests for mono culture or plantations or for simply profiteering has deprived soil its natural qualities. When it rains, the water will saturate the soil, ooze down and replenish the under ground aquifers for quenching the thirst of the flora and fauna during dry spells. Thus the vegetation ever greened. Now the rain water just run off the surface along with it the top soil which is unable to hold to the Alma mater sans the binding action of the plant roots. Thus soil degradation goes on in recursion.

Extreme weather related disasters are recurring these days. The blame can be pronounced on global warming also.The moisture (water vapour)  holding capacity of the atmosphere is increasing, thanks to the higher concentration of the greenhouse gases.As the ocean surfaces warms more, the moisture content in air increases and as these moisture laden wind reaches land , heavy rainfall will be the result causing floods and rain related disasters. High earth surface temperature for prolonged periods is responsible for drought and forest fires . 

The damage is already done on the environment. What the present generation can do is to mitigate the consequences. We can help the ailing nature to maintain the balance. Rainwater can be harvested, allowed to replenish the water sheds and underground aquifers. Let trees and plants grow in their abode. Let the rivers live. Let the irony of flood and drought be no more.

Socialism or Capitalism ?

The Philosophy of Socialism says "From each according to his ability, to each according to his contribution". Most of the property is held common;workers have a say in the management of the organisation;all are treated equal and given equal opportunity;the market is regulated by the government. In theory the system is attractive,but its practicality considering the human nature is to be pondered. In The Soviet Union, after the initial phase of socialism, discontent among people stared raising.  When the growth diminished,the USSR decided to open the economy for capitalism. For socialism to be a success, all people should be content, they should be having a common goal, and dedication to the nation and work.

For emerging nations, socialism is the best option. It can give a common platform to everybody for the start. Competition can be introduced after a fair playing ground is achieved. Indian model of mixed economy cannot achieve the goals of either socialism or capitalism.

Let's take the experience of Kerala. Along with the democratic system, there emerged a strong communism. It was deep rooted. Thus the communist government was able to implement the land reforms most successfully in India. The economic inequality was reduced to a great extent by these reforms. There after the achievement of the state in terms of the Human Development stands as a testimony for the system. Kerala model is lauded for achieving both growth and improved income through human development. But human development wouldn't have been achieved sans social equality. The Human Development Report of United Nations Development Programme can be cited here. The indexing is done with inequality adjusted. The loss in development in India on account of inequality is alarming- in terms of education - 43%;health - 34%;income-16%. It means that even though the framers of constitution envisaged an socialist society, we are far from achieving it. This failure caused rich becoming richer and poor becoming poorer.

When everybody becomes equal, the further growth stagnates.People wont feel the need to work , if every thing is provided by the government.If profit is to be shared equally irrespective of the effort, there will be nothing to be shared. Thus the nation becomes poor. If everybody is putting effort and nation is becoming richer, there will be no workers for doing the basic works. Workers need to be hired from outside and it will drain the economy, finally will go back to square one. For maintaining the social order and growth, the economy can switch to the capitalist system realizing that the Utopian system exists only in paper .

Women & Election in India

India, the largest democracy in the world, still have to be democratic to one half of its population. Representation of women in Indian parliament is only around 10% even after 66 years of democracy. 

It is discernible that all the political parties are deceiving its women members regarding the allocation of seats. For example take the case in the constituency where a major leader is contesting - his rival candidate will be a women. The opposition parties who are sure of losing this constituency, will field a woman. It gives them satisfaction that they didn't lose the opportunity of a male contestant and also can project the number seats they allotted for women.For a self made female politician even this offer will be a hard earned fruit or other wise she should be a relative of an established politician (given the fact that most of the women legislators are relatives of politicians and most probably contesting in place of their husband in case of exigencies).

It is appreciable that our legislation have given  1/3rd reservation of seats for women in the local bodies. Initially the women members in these institutions were akin to Rabri Devi who was elected in lieu of her husband Lalu Prasad Yadav. Over years the women politicians came out of their confinement and demonstrated their capability in administration and many are being admired as role models. It may be this success and fear of losing their bastion is holding back the legislators from reserving the seats for women in legislative assembly and parliament elections.

Now it is high time to pass the long pending reservation bill and fulfill the true sense of democracy to represent the half of the population.