Nirmal Diary - Part 5

The Primary Colour of Democracy - Elections

It comes once in five years. And when it arrives, it creates an air of excitement in the entire country. The entire media (electronic as well as the print) is in cut throat competition to report as things happens. And it is back again- The Kumbh Mela of Democracy. The elections to the 15^th Lok Sabha and to some state assemblies are going to be held in April and May with the decision on 16^th May 2009.

I am in Nirmal (AP). It is small town with a population around 1 lakh. The villages surrounding Nirmal are arguably some of the smallest units of the country and I am witnessing how election drama actually happens at this base level. There is an assembly election here along with the Lok Sabha polls. As far as the assembly election is concerned we have a triangular fight between the Congress, The Telangana Rashtra Samiti + Telugu Desam Party (Mahakutami – the grand alliance - as it is called) and new entrant Praja Rajyam Party – recently established by the south Indian superstar Chiranjeevi. The candidates are Mr. Allola Indrakaran Reddy (Congress), Mr. Sri Hari Rao (TRS + TDP) and Mr. M. Reddy (PRP).

While the selection of the congress candidate was obvious, the declaration of the other two candidates was a big drama with Mr. M. Reddy as well as Mr. Sri Hari Rao both vying a ticket from the TDP and TRS respectively. But as the two parties are in alliance only one had to get it. It so happened that in the seat sharing arrangement between the two parties – Nirmal – was granted to TRS and hence the seat went Mr. Sri Hari Rao. Mr. Reddy subsequently joined PRP and got the ticket. Of course the story of Mr. Reddy and Mr. Rao is not as simple as it is appearing. The politics runs far deeper as is being discussed among the locals here in Nirmal. Mr. Chandrababu Naidu – the TDP Boss- had promised a ticket to Mr. Reddy. The primary reason why a young leader like Mr. Reddy was denied the ticket by the TDP was the senior TDP leader who does not want a threat to emerge challenging his own existence in the local politics. In fact, I read in the Times of India that the joint committee formed by the TDP and TRS to discuss the seat sharing arrangement had this senior leader as team member. So it is obvious that he played his role with clinical precision to give Nirmal seat to TRS.

The elections are going to be held on 16^th April, 2009 here and the excitement is reaching its peak. All the old techniques (which have been part and parcel of the game since 1952) are being employed. It will be worth to watch the entire drama till 16 April, 2009 and then the final result on 16 May, 2009. It indeed is a great experience.

While I watch the intelligent (?) debates on various channels between different political leaders the vast difference between these debates and the ground reality does not escape my mind.

Nirmal Diary - Part 4

Finally we were able to plant the trees on our campus in the month of December 2008. On 13 December, 2008 we organized a small function of tree plantation. It was decided that each class would adopt a tree, plant, and water it everyday. We included classes from UKG to X in this activity. The programme has been quite successful. The students had fun and have been watering the plants regularly. The survival rate has been almost 99 percent.

Some interesting incidents have been happening. A 1^st class student called Bharath (Village: Dyangapur) did pluck the leaves of couple of plants and root out one plant. So the secondary section students caught him and brought him to me. They also told me that he was telling his friends that he would come to school on one Sunday (his village is just 500-700 m away from school campus) and root out all the plants. So I asked him if he did not like trees. He said he did. Then I asked him then why did he pluck the leaves. He had no answer. So I decided that we would make him plant a tree and he would water all the trees planted by the students for next two weeks along with his friends. After that incident there was one two more cases but then it has stopped and the trees are growing well. I guess we will have to take care of these trees for at least one summer. We have also planted trees along the fencing. They have also been growing well. All in all I would say the campus would start looking more beautiful in an years time.

The trees we have planted are

1. Gulmohar (Delonix (or Poinciana) regia)
2. Neem (Azadirakhta indica)
3. Peepal (Ficus religiosa)
4. Rain tree (Enterolobium saman or Samanae saman)
5. Ashoka (Polyalthia longifolia)
6. The bio-diesel plant

All the trees are showing a good growth. We have been using the organic manure once a month and sprayed a chemical in order to prevent the parasites from attacking the plants. I am looking forward to the annual phenomenon of monsoon.

पुष्प की अभिलाषा - माखनलाल चतुर्वेदी

चाह नही, मैं सुरबाला के गहनों में गुथा जाऊँ,

चाह नहीं , प्रेमी माला में बिंध प्यारीं को ललचाऊ ,

चाह नही , सम्राटो के शव पर हे हरी डाला जाऊँ,
चाह नही, देवों के सीर पर चढूँ भाग्य पर इठलाऊं,
मुझे तोड़ लेना बनमाली, उस पथ पर देना फेंक,
मातृभूमि हित शीष चढाने, जिस पथ जावें वीर अनेक

That inspirational poem from Dr. Harivanshrai Bacchan

अग्निपथ

अग्निपथ, अग्निपथ, अग्निपथ,

वृक्ष हो भले घने, हो घने, हो बड़े,

एक पत छाँव की मांग मत, मांग मत, मांग मत,

अग्निपथ, अग्निपथ, अग्निपथ

तू ना थकेगा कभी, तू ना थमेगा कभी, तू ना मुडेगा कभी,

कर शपथ, कर शपथ, कर शपथ,

अग्निपथ, अग्निपथ, अग्निपथ

यह महान दृश्य है, चल रहा मनुष्य है,

आश्रू श्वेत रक्त से लथपथ, लथपथ, लथपथ,

अग्निपथ, अग्निपथ, अग्निपथ

Nirmal Diary - 3

It is 26 January, 2009 today. Our 60th republic day. The celebration in the school was short and sweet affair. The 10th class student solved their 1st paper of hindi. The progress of these guys have been good, especially the weaker ones. The weaker ones are not at fault. The fault is of their idiot teachers who groomed them the way they themselves were groomed by their idiot teachers who…..and so on….. the chain reaction. These were/are the people who chose/have chosen the teaching profession because they could not do anything else and this profession was/is helping to meet the ends. Anyway the story is going to be same till we make the profession more attractive “money-wise”. But hopefully not the “Satyam way”. Hey I just remember a funny poem forwarded by a dear friend of mine Dr. Shirisha Sathe…..

Raju…Raju….
Yes Papa…
Eating money….
No papa….
Telling lies….
No papa….
Open the balance sheet…
Ha ha ha…..

Another news from Nirmal is that the chief minister Dr. Y.S.R. Reddy is visiting Nirmal tomorrow. I often had heard the words especially in Doordarshan news,”Khabar milte hi prashasan harkat mein aayaa”. I have been actually experiencing these words since last 3-4 days. The road is being repaired. The government buildings are being painted with that typical brownish color. The town appears to have come to life. The roads are being policed by the force. I wish he visits Nirmal regularly.

As I am typing this post, I am also watching the marathi Sa Re Ga Ma Pa. It is 26 January special. I must confess that the kids who are singing the songs are the blessed ones. Pandit Hridaynaath Mangeshkar is the special guest. Parents of the martyrs have also come and its truly amazing to hear the stories of all those who have and are making our life safe in this country.

I am remembering the lyrics of the song which has now become my all time favourite and which had helped me to take the decision to return back….

Yeh jo des hai tera…
Swades hai tera…tuzhe hai pukaraa….
Yeh woh bandhan hai jo kabhi toot nahi sakta….