14 December,  2013

Paradox in a Land of Plenty

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The one commodity visibly plentiful in India has always been “People”.  Our English text book in ninth grade (1945-1946)) authored by Minoo Masani was titled  “Our India”. A simple sketch at the beginning in the book illustrated world population lined up statistically to point out that every fifth person standing in the lineup was an Indian. Since then the population has mushroomed in India’s fertile fields of unrestricted passion for life.  Feeding an ever growing family of 1 Billion+ people decade after decade is no small task viewed from any dimension. The sheer number of ever growing mouths to feed reflects in a recent United Nations survey reported in a November 2013 issue of the Times of India that states “ 25% of world’s poor live in India”. That is one in every four.

The commodities virtually in short supply in India this month are Onions, Tomatoes and Potatoes.  In a free market economy bustling with people, virtual shortages of essential commodities seem to be manipulated to hike prices as high as the customer's pockets can bear.  Shortage of items such as Onions essential in daily Indian cuisine extract tears and cause hardship for the common Man. Naturally, it becomes a hot issue for political parties eyeing for Power in the Indian national elections scheduled for 2014. The Onion, Potato and Tomato issues seem to divert the voter’s attention temporarily away from the real national problems such as corruption that is flowing rampantly throughout the nation’s blood veins. Not even one citizen admits to being corrupt, and yet the entire bureaucratic machinery seems to be corroded and in constant need of lubrication.

Amusingly, I have personally transitioned through the price of egg from 1 old-Paisa /each (during 1943-45 in Dantewada, Bastar State) to Rs. 5.33 /each, which is the price in Pune, Maharashtra in December 2013. You don’t have to guess my age. I am 81.00

Youngsters in age range of  5-13  living in large cities today present an interesting dimension.  Parents of some of these children may not even be high school graduates, but the children are merrily finger tap-dancing on laptop key boards and iPads as if they have been playing with these toys ever since they were in their mother’s womb.

Simultaneously,  there are educated parents with college degrees who are fully employed and can manage to buy a computer; but refuse to buy it for their kids. They seem convinced that the computer will spoil the kids, their studies and school grades will suffer, and the kids will not get good jobs. In the mean time, the youngsters steal their way to a nearby computer joint called Cyber Cafe to download games, surf the Net, and inadvertently learn to play hide-n-seek games with their parents. The Cyber Cafe charges Rs. 15-20 per hour for use of computers providing full access to Internet.  The price of an average icecream cup the kids would buy  is the same. The parents ask the kids, where were you all this time and the poker-faced kids say “talking to friends”. The kids do not lie!!

A 2011-2012  Indian market survey reported that Computers are still a luxury — 20 per cent households in urban areas and 5 per cent in rural areas own one. Of the 9 per cent households that own computers, 6 per cent have no Internet connection.

Recently we met two different engineering professionals who have taught in universities throughout their lives and are currently in the age range of 50-65. Both of them are computer illiterates and refuse to have anything to do with those “things”.  In the same age range, some couples are college graduates, and both share the same eMail ID. In these cases, you can be sure that one of the spouse does not even touch a computer. The eMail addressed to them is read aloud by the computer-literate spouse to the other spouse . Their responding eMails are co-signed by both of them in electronic print  They generally say “we don’t really do computers or eMails”. Nor do they operate mobile phones while a menial laborer appears to be using mobile phone casually. A 2012 census shows that at least 50% Indian households own a mobile phone. It is amusing to witness what a shrinking Generation Gap and Overlap is all about.

   

Indian Universities seem to be cranking out technical and computer professionals faster than the rate of jobs creation in the country. As a result, the export of computer literate personnel and services has increased many folds over the past few decades. Opportunities in the global computer marketplace has generated a few Indian Billionaires in a relatively short span of decades by expanding and exporting their services worldwide. Some Indian companies offering computerized accounting services are helping file U. S. Tax Returns for American businesses and individuals resident in USA.  Audio tapes of American doctor’s diagnostic assessments are routinely transcribed and e-mailed back overnight to USA.

In the mean time, the Indian politicians are scratching their heads to bridge the ever widening and deepening gap between the haves and have-nots, trying to manage two parallel economies, one run with the “white-money” and the other one propelled by  the unaccounted “black money”. Mind boggling financial Scams abound, while the common Man is hoping-against-hope for their resolutions and prevention. Wedged precariously between international power blocks, the nation’s economy is teetering-tottering, but the nation as a whole entertains a unique optimism for moving forward in the 21st Century. It is an emotional rope being pulled in opposite directions from either end.

The word educated implies a person that can think for himself/herself. A college education does not necessarily nurture the faculties of creative thinking.  A recent survey in the Times of India indicated that thirty percent of Indian Billionaires do not have college degrees. Included amongst them could be self-made Billionaire, Mr. Dhirubhai Ambani who expired a few years ago.

Today’s world is flat as has been eloquently described by Nobel prize winning Journalist Dr. Tom Friedman. Warren Buffett grew up in an average environment in America’s midwest, got married, purchased a house in Iowa with his entrepreneurial income and moved in with his new bride. Now a self-made Billionaire, he continues to live in the same house with his wife because he feels there is adequate space for his needs. Bill Gates and Steve Jobs unchallenged by conventional education, dropped out of college and went on to become Billionaires on their own initiatives. They live on unflashy but functional estates. All three are the richest Billionaires on planet Earth and run world wide charities dedicated to uplifting human consciousness. Mukesh Ambani, born with a golden spoon in his mouth, is son of a self-made successful entrepreneurial father mentioned earlier Mr. Dhirubhai Ambani. Mukesh has had the luxury of attending any Ivy school or institution of higher learning. He has successfully advanced his father’s enterprise to become India’s wealthiest man, lives in a multi-story Billion $ house overlooking Mumbai. The paradox is that Mumbai, the financial capital of India, houses one of the largest slums that seems to be ever growing. Billionaires seem to live at varying levels of conscious awareness as do ordinary people. The acclaimed Indian movie titled “Slumdog Millionaire” sums it all up very nicely.

Last month, the Space Agency of India (ISRO) successfully launched a Mission to Mars, which is anticipated to be a one-year journey. The launch of the space vehicle was technically as smooth as any that was previously witnessed anywhere. The launch reportedly entailed a  fraction of the cost incurred by other countries for a similar mission.

In India, a democratic country that guarantees full religious freedom, the business of Religion is thriving as ever before. God is marketed by various religions without discernable product differentiation except the Brand names. Religion is the only unique  business that does not have to produce an end product in order to promote its related services. The promise of the ultimate product  identity and delivery is held strictly confidential. Yet faithful customers abound and rebound in numbers. Several ancillary industries spring around the core business of Religion. Naturally, the profit margins in this business are high and competition always intense. Since 80% of India’s population seems to reside in rural areas, the business of Religion is pursued much more vigorously in the hinterland. The business of Religion thrives on the fertile grounds of ignorance and poverty , and unfortunately the entire world is a proof of this phenomenon even in the 21st Century.

Flocks of faithful congregate in their respective places of worship seeking unending blessings, personal favors and freedom from fear. Some even congregate on public streets under the open sky above; flouting any sense of civility. Religiosity, which seems to be a public expression of faith,  ensures regular attendance of  the faithful to the places of worship. I have coined the word Religiosity to describe the hypocrisy inherent in every organised Religion of the world. A Man is born without a Religion and naturally dies without a Religion, but  carries the baggage of Religiosity during the entire lifespan.

The business of Religion is fully aware that only a repeat-customer is a real customer that ensures the health of any business.

Recently Dr. Dabholkar, a qualified Physician and a Hindu by faith, was murdered in cold blood in Pune, India. Reportedly, he entertained an active role in educating rural folks to remove blind faith from personal beliefs including magic, miracles, and a host of prevailing myths.  

Faith is an individual’s inner experience, whereas religious organization is invariably a profit generating business enterprise. Amusingly, managing Prophet and Profiteering are common practices evident worldwide even in the 21st Century.  

The prevailing subdued consensus in Pune seems to be that Dr. Dabholkar had inadvertently stepped on several business interests of Religion and may have been eliminated by the self-appointed LordsReligion.Ego.com.  Each profitable business anywhere in the world seems to be protected at any cost. Hitting a 60-70 year old unarmed and unassuming  Dr. Dabholkar was an easy soft target.  Similarly to protect profitable business in another part of the world, a strong gut feeling prompts that President J.F. Kennedy and his brother Senator Robert Kennedy were taken out by OrganizedCrime.Ego.com.

Any threat to the economic health of the business of Religion is never taken lightly. Threatened with the potential adverse effects of Dr. Dabholkar’s simple teachings, the Lords of different religions may have issued a joint Fatwa or Inquisition on Dr. Dabholkar. Fatwa or Inquisition is the age-old practice of eliminating opposition. It is the on-going war of the believers and the non-believers that fails to find a common ground to co-exist.  Humanity will have to unquestionably bear the emotional burden and cost of these self-incriminating acts through centuries to come. The Lords of Religion and crime manage to stay out of sight and therefore cannot be arrested and prosecuted in the Courts of Law established by civilized societies. The self revealing sacrifices of individuals for a rightful cause etch a permanent mark in the consciousness of humanity that is constantly in search of its true self identity.

At an individual level, a self-enlightened Master has no religious or criminal issues and hang-ups because only peace, tranquility, and harmony reside within the conscious awareness.

Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall of UK visited Pune last month for a day. Two years ago, Bill Gates had visited Pune in connection with his global AIDS prevention program. Accompanied by his local team of workers, Bill was visiting the Red-Light district of Pune. Noticing an uncommon white visitor and totally unaware of Bill’s credentials, a local female resident of the notorious district asked , what does he want?  A prominent political figure visits Pune to drum up support for a national agenda. This month the annual Gandharva music festival will thrill music lovers in Pune.  Visitors come and go causing a few ripples of excitement and curiosity in the daily routine of a common Man.

In the mean time as a new day begins, the streets of India are crowded with people, motorbikes, small-medium-large size cars, auto-rickshaws, hand-pulled carts, cows and stray dogs. Each one of them seems to enjoy the Bill of Rights to live and let live. We have a friendly rickshaw driver named Raju who has taken us around town on several occasions. One day while riding the rickshaw we expressed to Raju our awe at his skill and patience in maneuvering the rickshaw through the mind boggling traffic every day. We also expressed how close he comes every moment to being hit or banging on another vehicle during his entire 8-10 hour working day. Thirty year old Raju replied with a cool tone “ We take care of each other”. In that brief response we sensed Raju stating lot more than he said. We sensed Raju stating “ We exercise our right to live and let others live, and that includes humans as well as other living beings”. The daily traffic on the city roads in India reflects the dynamics and paradox of humanity in action and transition on a daily basis. Where else could you find such a great diversity and dynamics of life in action?

It is helpful to look at daily life from an Eagle’s perspective flying high in the sky! NASA’s satellite camera looks at the world we live in from that perspective. The satellite sees the world without any national boundaries.

The pertinent essence of history seems to lie not in the time period  but the depth of human accomplishments. The path of name-to-fame of each land and its culture varies. Some prominent examples are:

1. American innovative accomplishments such as successful return trips of astronauts to Moon, unmanned space vehicles crossing the borders of our universe and still communicating with NASA , Apple and Microsoft technologies innocently and creatively modifying the texture of global attitudes.

2. Germany and Switzerland demonstrating characteristics of minute and consistent attention to mechanical details.

3. Japan’s indulgence in exacting and managing quality control in manufacturing industries.

4. and the list goes on ~~

The Indian subcontinent is like a Banyan tree whose ever growing expanse through centuries is clearly visible to the naked eye. However at its root level, it is and has always been a land of Seekers that have explored the immense possibilities of life;  possibilities far beyond the mundane and illusory realms of daily life including the pursuit of God, Heaven and Hell. The Seekers or Sages of this land have sought the inalienable universal truths that exist eternally revealing humanity’s universal identity. The universal identity can be experienced by any individual desirous of it through cultivated powers of Introspection developed and mastered in this land. Introspection is not about inaction; instead it is an active engagement with conscious awareness of life. Indian philosophy of life at its core symbolises the pearl of human consciousness. …. simply suggesting that each human is innately attuned to be the creator of its own creation.  In the evolution of human consciousness, ultimately all dualities of life cease to exist.  

Suresh M. Deo

sureshdeo32@gmail.com