Realization Author: Dr. K.S.Kang

 

Realization

Dr. K.S. Kang

It never occurred to Mangat Ram that he had come alone in this world and will have to go to the next world alone till he was infected by Corona virus. Till then he was being  looked after reasonably well by his son, daughter-in-law and grand children. After the demise of his wife two years ago he preferred to live in the outer room of his four room house that he had constructed by taking loan from the bank against his salary. He had paid back the loan well before the year of his retirement so as to avoid post retirement trouble of any sort. He had chosen the outer room of his house so as to avoid any type of interference in the lives of his son’s family. Now due to his growing age he had lost much of his appetite but still his daughter-in-law was giving him enough food that he used to give surplus food to a stray dog that used to sit in front of the room of his house.

                A night before he fell ill, he felt uneasy and developed fever and sore throat. As his fever did not come down his son informed the nearest medical facilities of the town that brought in an ambulance full of medical workers in their PPE kits and masks and took him to hospital at once and took his sample by inserting a long narrow stick in his nose. They also took sample of other members of the family.  After a couple of days the ambulance returned back to take him to quarantine centre as he has tested positive for Corona. As soon as they came to know that he was infected everybody tried to avoid him as if he was a pariah, an untouchable cur. Even his son stood at the threshold of his house while medical authorities were putting him forcefully as if he had committed some crime and his daughter-in-law was standing at the innermost edge of the house holding his grandson who wanted to see where these medical authorities were taking his grandfather. At that time when he needed sympathy, care and attention of the people as he too was shocked to get this news that he is suffering from a malady that is simply incurable. As ambulance was carrying him to Quarantine Centre situated outside the town he saw from the window of the ambulance that the stray dog whom he used to give his leftover food was following him.

                At the Quarantine Centre also everybody treated him like an untouchable. Even doctors feared to come near him and attendant staff threw pills and capsules from a distance as if he was some stray dog. They treated him like a sinner as if his getting infected is responsible for their lives too. Next day he saw that the dog who was following him has somehow tracked him and was sitting outside his room. From the meagre meals he received at the Centre he managed to send some food by greasing the palm of one of the medical attendant who used to clean his room twice. Though this attendant used to deliver food to the dog but he was unable to comprehend why this man was sharing his food with a stray dog even at the time when it is not certain whether he will live or die. Even his friends and relatives did not inquire about him and they even refused to take his calls as if virus travelled through radio waves of the instrument. Mangat Ram had led a respectable and decent life as he was a middle rung government employee and even after retirement he was leading a reasonably good life on his pension and out of his income he had tried to help his friend and relatives in their need according to his capacity but now everybody was neglecting and ignoring him. Even the medical staff who was supposed to be doing noble work of serving humanity with humility and politeness treated him rudely and neglected him at every point. Even he had provided sufficiently comfortable life to his family out of his income and even after retirement he tried to bring something for everybody on the festivals out of his pension that his uncle used to say that would remain with you till the last day of your life. But still even his near and dear ones have ignored and neglected him that he was completely broken down and he was more inflicted with this neglect than with the virus. He felt more pain at this than the disease.

                Though he did not wish to live any more in this selfish, egocentric world but still due to his inbuilt immunity from child hood and as a result of his taking prescribed medicine religiously he recovered and became normal in a fortnight. After he got well he took his faithful dog and took a stern decision not to return to his son’s house this strange disease had made him realize that he had come alone in this world and nobody is going to accompany him on the journey from this world. So he left quarantine centre along with his faithful dog and left for some unknown destination as he had enough pension on which he can take care of himself and his faithful dog for the rest of his life. When Mangat Ram did not return for a month his son came to Quarantine Centre to inquire about him the only reply that he could get was from the medical attendant who used to clean Mangat’s room that he did not disclose his destination when he left the centre along with his dog but the only thing he said was that he wished for everybody’s welfare but now he will lead the rest of his life alone so that he can get used to travel alone after his death.      

 

Mother in Western Literature Author Dr. K.S.Kang

                                          Mother in Western Literature

Author: Dr. K.S. Kang

God could not be everywhere, so he created Mother

Mother is the symbol of creativity,positivity, affection and devotion. Not only human beings but even the mothers of birds and beasts can go to any extent and struggle to save the life of her young ones. Literature has given adequate space to mother in every kind of literature. In Russian literature there is even a work by the name The Mother by famous Russian author Maxim Gorky in which the protagonist becomes the mother of not only an individual but of the entire nation and tribe. She not only serves her son but also the cause of revolution by helping her son in various work like distribution of pamphlets.

Another work on mother is also a work by Maxim Gorky but it is a short story Mother of a Traitor in which a lady’s son becomes a rebel who wants to conquer his own town where he had spent his childhood. This lady is in dilemma whether to support her son or her town where she had spent her youth and given birth to this ungrateful wretch. She is looked down upon by the people of the town as they now that she is mother of a person who has become a threat to their city. But they do not harm her or kill her. One day she takes a decision and goes to the rulers of the town to take their permission to leave the town. They give the permission reluctantly. She leaves the town with a heavy heat and reaches the camp of her son, who is overjoyed to see his mother as he was restraining to attack the town as his mother was in it. Now he makes plan to attack the town. Mother tries to persuade him not to create violence and slaughter in his own hometown just to satisfy his ambition and lust of conquest. When she sees that he is blinded by ambition and lust for power she takes decision and fulfills dual responsibility of acting mother towards her son as well as mother towards her town. She stabs him with a knife and kills him and thus becomes a mother of her town by saving the innocent people from the bloodshed and violence and she acts as mother of her son by killing herself with the same dagger.

Next work on the mother is a play by Bertolt Brecht Mother Courage and Her Children in which a lady runs a canteen in the battlefield during a battle to look after her children. Though she had taken a bold decision to carry on business even during the uncertainties of war. But she takes this risk for the sake of her children. The real mother courage that emerges in the play is her daughter who is dumb but she saves the innocent lives of the people of the town by giving then a warning of approaching foe by beating the drum though she loses her life during it. So she sacrifices her life to save innumerable lives of the people living in the town by upsetting the plans of the enemy. Another work on the mother is a beautiful lyrical poem by famous poet William Cowper whose title is On the Receipt of Mother’s Picture out of Norfolk which is the story of an orphan who had lost his mother in his childhood and after a gao of twenty years he gets a portrait of his mother from one of his relative living in Norfolk. Mother has figured almost in every genre of literature whether it is play, poem , short story or a novel.   

Keep your knees off our neck and I can't Breathe Author: Dr. Kang

“Get your knees off our necks” and “ I can’t breathe”

Author: Dr. K.S.Kang

Another incident that has gained world wide attention is death of an Afro-American gentleman George Floyd in police custody in USA. Though he died in police custody but the action of the white police officer who put his knee on the neck for nearly nine minutes became the cause of his death. During this agony he could utter only two sentences “ I can’t breathe” and “Keep your knee of my neck”. These two sentences have become the icons and symbols of revolt and rebellion against oppression and exploitation. This incident had triggered rallies and protest against exploitation of any kind in the world  be it based on race, colour, gender, caste, religion or minority, region or language. There is hardly any part of the world that is untouched by exploitation of the one or the other kind. In fact in every age humanity has suffered under the discrimination of  the one or the other kind often leading to violence and riots.

            Sometimes administrative set up of the establishment becomes so insensitive and ruthless that it does not give heed to the genuine demands of human society in order to lead a reasonable decent and dignified life. A man does not live by food alone he needs respect, dignity, affection and friendship that makes his life worth living. Though it is true that the perfect and true equality in human society is poetry, it is only an ideal that can be visualized but never achieved. Yet the most basic rights and amenities of life need to be assured by the establishment to all the people without any distinction so that every body gets chance of equal opportunity to lead he life of his choice and to express his views without any fear even if his views do not toe the official line of the government of the day. But in today’s societies rich and the powerful people deny even the basic minimum rights to the poor. They are not even given the option to choose the way to die leave aside life. In every epoch of human history the resourceful people ride over the resourceless and poor people in the name of feudalism, slavery, capitalism, and even in a theocratic state. So the slogan given by this movement have become the symbols of revolt and rebellion of suffering humanity against the exploitation of any kind in any part of the world whether it is from one section of society or from the establishment of the day.

            Normally the government expects every citizen to obey its law and pay taxes and duties honestly. Though it is a form of legalized loot yet people pay taxes in the hope of getting better life facilities. But most of the fund collected through taxes is rarely utilized for public welfare. Most of it is used to strengthen the power of the state by procuring the latest weapons of mass destruction and strengthening the security agencies like police and army that can be used to scuttle freedom, including freedom to express your opinion. And in this process the genuine human demands of the society like health , education and justice are grossly ignored. Most of the states use Police and army to silence their opponents both external as well as internal and sometimes try to silence the voice of protest, truth and righteousness. When citizens of a country find the environment too stifling that they have to think twice before uttering even a truth out of the fear that it may not be liked by the establishment of the day. When governments keep their knees on the neck of the people too much and too long, with the help of police and army, they have no option but to say

                  “ I want to breathe” and “ I can’t breathe”.     

Jai Corona Mata Author: Dr. K.S Kang

Jai Corona Mata             

           Author: Dr. K.S. Kang

            When any trouble become unsurmountable  Indian learn to adjust and live with it by granting it the status of a deity,. In ancient times they accorded this status to the forces of nature like fire, water, earthquake, rain, thunderstorm the Sun, The Moon and the Ocean. Then the same status was given to some seemingly unconquerable maladies like Chicken Pox,  Small Pox, Measles and typhoid. It is believed that my appeasing this destructive force through worship and offerings it will spare them and the peace and prosperity will prevail on the earth. It is believed by the Indians that by offering red clothes and bangles to a particular goddess the disease is cured as the goddess causing it is appeased.

            Similarly in the current crisis Indians have decided to adjust with it as it is going to stay with the human society atleast for some time. Though the scientific method of avoiding it is by wearing masks, gloves, using sanitizers and keeping social distance. But women of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and even Assam have created a new goddess Corona and even devised the system of worshiping it. They make offerings to its small idol made in the earthen lamp and then they take it to the bank of some river and bury it there and then hope that it had gone and now it will not return to harm them or atleast it will spare them even if it harm others. Perhaps with time some people may master some technique to tame  this virus in such a fashion that it will harm only their opponents and enemy and not their friends, family members and followers and then it will become a business that can withstand any shock of the share market and any depression in world economy.

            This pandemic seems to have infected not only human being but even Gods too and even non-living beings. So as to give message to the people on the importance of wearing masks and keeping in isolation a number of idols of Gods and goddesses in the temples are with masks. In Rajasthan even one God went into quarantine for a period of 14 days and He gave darshan to devotees only after the period of quarantine ended. Corona seems to have infected non-living mechanical things too. Administration machinery is considered as mechanical, impersonal and insensitive and some times even ruthless. In the hurry to be the first India became one of the first nation of the world to impose lockdown. Though elsewhere the Curve of the number of Corona Patients had flattened and gone down in India the number of patients kept on increasing till date. Instead of flattening the curve of number of corona patients it appears that country has succeeded only in flattening the curve of economic growth. Due to lockdown the wheel of economic growth came to stand and still with the closure of industries and factories and unemployment spiked due to loss of jobs causing hardships to the poor and resourceless people of the country. It appears as if India has repeated the history. After independence India has chosen the path of mixed economy in the hope of reaping the benefits of both Capitalist system and Socialist or Planned Economy but it has ended in getting the demerits of both the systems rather than its advantages. It seems we have again tripped between the two stools first of hurriedly called lockdown and now premature easing of restrictions that may increase the number of cases with the movement of the people across the country.

The Pandemic seems to have infected even the Indian Railways, that were known world wide for its excellent services and punctuality. But only God knows what happened to the special Shramik trains that were run by the Government or Indian Railways to ferry the migrant labourers to their native states. First of all these trains these trains stopped at number of unsecheduled stops for such a long time that by the time it reached the destination after a journey of 90 hours they were late by twelve to fourteen hours. Secondly the original route chart handed over the drivers was laid aside, only God knows at whose orders that trains were diverted and digressed so much that the train that was bound for Ranchi reached Huderabad. It is true that India is a land of miracles but such a miracle had been seen with Indian Railways for the first time. Finally since railways were plying only goods trains during the lockdown so they seem to have forgotten that railways are also meant for human beings so they did not care for the food and water for the passengers as a result of which Railways made its own humble contribution to the toll of this pandemic as railway has killed sleeping people under its wheels as well as the people traveling in it due to lack of food , water and even air. One theory that was in the air behind this rail mismanagement was that the industrialist and capitalist lobby deliberately did this so as to discourage the labour to go to their native states other wise who will run these factories and industries once the lockdown is eased. Though people also believe that this muddle could have been avoided if the drivers of these trains had begun the journey with a loud shout of “ Jai Corona Mata” equally echoed by the traveling passengers.  

Corona Warriors Author: Dr. K.S. Kang

Corona Warriors

Author: Dr. K.S. Kang

Humanity is fighting the Corona menace at different fronts where people without caring for their personal safety have jumped into it as a result of which some of them have even  got infected leading to the supreme sacrifice in the service of humanity. At the forefront of this battle are our health services workers- doctors, Nurses, Ward boys and other hospital staff who are waging this battle armed with just a mask, sanitizer, gloves and PPE kit. Though they are trying some medicines also like hydroxycholoroquine that is used in treatment of malaria and other drugs used in the cure of swine flu and aids yet no authentic and final vaccine or cure is yet to be found in the world. A grand salute to health workers, particularly doctors who are fighting this battle with a limited resources available with them and thus taking the risk of their lives by exposing themselves to a great probability of getting infected. A number of doctors, nurses and health workers have lost their lives in the world.  

            At the other front Police and security agencies implementing law and order and discipline among the people like wearing masks, using sanitizers, staying indoors and social distancing so as to contain the virus are also doing commendable job as the only weapon that they have at their disposal is mask and they are also equally prone to being infected while doing their duty. In this crisis besides regulating traffic and maintaining law and order helping health workers in tracing infected people has also become their job that has exposed them to the risk of getting infected in the process.

            On the third front are the social organization whose members are creating awareness in the society against Corona and the need of staying at home during lock down and use of masks, sanitizers and importance of social distancing in order to win this battle. The work of those organization and their members is also quite commendable who are preparing and distributing free food packets along with water bottles and other edibles like biscuits and even distributing footwear to the people who have set out from the larger towns for their native village on foot. The workers of these organization are also doing equally noble job by putting themselves at the risk of being infected.

            Then there are people who are helping people to stay indoors in their houses by continuing the chain of supply of milk, vegetables and fruits and other essential items at the door steps of the people as they are also putting their lives at risk of getting infected. Then the hawkers who brings the news from the state, country and the world to the door steps of the people in the form of newspapers are also serving the humanity in their own way as right information is necessary to fight this hidden and invisible foe of humanity. Again a grand salute to these Corona Warriors, especially doctors whose sacrifice and devotion is simple indescribable in words as they have not cared even for their lives in service of humanity that is supreme sacrifice.    

Implications of Lockdown for Diverse People Author : Dr. K.S Kang

Implications of Lockdown for Diverse People

                                                                                                           Author: Dr. K.S. Kang

            Meaning of Lockdown had different connotations for different group of people. For the rich and the middle class lockdown had merely been a change of routine. They can not go out as frequently as they like but as they have less worries about their meals and livelihood so they are utilizing the loads of free time that they have in pursuing their hobbies like music, dancing , reading, writing, gardening and the like. As they do not have any immediate risk so they are just staying indoors and have little problem in following the directions of the administration like wearing masks, washing hands, sanitizing things, social distancing and of course staying at home. They are devoting their time to family members and neighbors as they have come to realize their significance in the times of crisis. Roof tops have been rediscovered as earlier roof tops were visited infrequently and that too briefly to check the overhead water tanks. But now the roofs have shown the signs of people walking on their roofs at least in the morning and in the evening and having informal chat with their immediate neighbors. Indoor activities have been revived including a number of indoor games have come out of closets that were gathering dust from atleast a couple of years like Carrom, Ludo, Playing Cards, Chinese Checkers, Chess and the like.

            But for the common and poor people lockdown has again brought out this dark truth that nobody stands for the poor and the resourceless. Even law, and the administration turns against them even in a democratic society. They are not even allowed to choose their option of death, leave aside living. When country needed them for industrial development and prosperity these poor labour were employed and exploited also to some extent and when everything has been closed down due to lockdown they have been deserted by the society and country and left to live or dies on their resources  When employer has fired them they have no food or money left to give their rent to the landlords they are left with no other option but to start for their villages in the hope that the earth that had given them birth would give them shelter also in this crisis. But buses and trains have been stopped in the name of lockdown and even if Labour Special trains had started but it was too little and too late as very few of them could take its benefit. Most of them were left to walk on the road all the way to their village or use their own resources like cycles, small vehicles like tempos and autos and in trucks, tankers and even mixers and for that too they had to pay the price to the owner. But establishment wherever it could disrupted the journey of the native to his village. These suffering people having bare minimum necessities in this harsh summer weather without any proper shoes and conveyance they are trying to reach their haven of native village that has reared them since their birth. These struggling men, women and children struggling in harsh weather to get to their native places were none other than the citizens of this Great Nation that wants to become World Guru.      .  

A Few Frames During Pandemic Author: Dr. K.S. Kang

A Few Frames during the Pandemic

                                                                                                    Author: Dr. K.S. Kang

            Recent COVID-19 pandemic has made man hygiene conscious so much that has led to strange scenes throughout the world. People have been using masks, sanitizers and adopting social distancing so as to avoid infection. It is a common belief that this virus infects the surfaces also like table laptop, key boards, car handles and the like that has led people to adopt strange methods to avoid the infection. I know one such person who uses tongs to pick up newspaper in the morning to avoid direct contact with the gate that may be touched by the hawker. Not only this he even disinfects the paper in direct sunlight for half an hour before allowing the family members to read it. Another person has even shown the ingenuity of putting the lock on the front door of his house so as to avoid any contact with the people, including the neighbors.

          It is difficult to restrain people indoors for a long time. Hence some countries are easing restriction so that people can enjoy outing with their friends in their favourite restaurants. But precaution is still necessary as prevention is always better than cure. So besides stressing sanitizing and wearing masks one restaurant in Europe has made a long round table so as to maintain social distancing. Another eatery has designed huts with transparent covers that is meant for two people only as it has only two chairs and a table. Similarly waiters with masks and even transparent visors take orders from customers by putting menu on a wooden plank and placing it on the table. After taking orders by listening carefully to the customers orders through the transparent veil as waiters can not enter the hut, the dishes are also served by keeping plates on the wooden plank and put it on the table by the waiter without removing the cover and entering the hut.

          Not only eateries and hotels even legal procedures have been adopted to suit the changing circumstances. People are signing the wills closed behind the cars of course after disinfecting the papers that have come from attorney’s office. Lawyers have even made booths for the customers in which they can go as they go to vote duringthe elections and sign legal papers after sanisitizing themselves and their pen and of course the papers they have to sign. They leave the papers in the paper which are gathered carefully later on. So during this crisis equipment like masks, sanitizers, tongs, locks, wooden planks and booths have nearly become a necessity .