Life without mother is no more the same

Mother taught me the basics of everyday life - from the mother tongue to food habits, dressing sense to how to talk to anyone. She was not a highly educated woman, but had a wisdom and philosophy of her own. That became a guiding principle for the family she raised or at least for me.  She taught me how to be independent in life, take little responsibilities for the family, to be helpful to others in need and not be a bothersome person for people around me. Looking back I can see that it has become a guiding principle for me through times thick and thin.

As I grew up, I and she had lots of differences in how we see and judge people around both of us. While being less emotional I could see through hidden  intent of people quite easily, she struggled at it and was prone to consistent manipulations by others. That would tire me and my efforts to reason with her never produced any useful results. Despite such differences, our relationship as mother and son didn't see troubles as she believed in me blindly too at times like how she did for others.

Just a fortnight ago, we had gone out as a family to vote in general elections. While I don't know how many times she has voted in her life but I am sure she had never ignored her social responsibilities. Now that she is separated from me physically, life doesn't not look the same anymore. I don't think there would be any other person than your mother who would be as happy and proud of you. Though she has taught me from beginning to be independent, even from her, I never intended to loose her. Now I have became an orphan. It is a painful experience to lose the person who brought you into this world and taught it's ways. Though she would not have agreed with me, she would have given me a patient hearing for all the complaints I had. While she departed, she had made me mute partially. This lesson is not an easy one and can't be avoided by anyone either.

All dynasties come to an end (Why not political dynasties?)

All dynasties, small to large, little control to very powerful one's, they all had a start, peak and an end.

Take the case of mighty Mogul dynasty who ruled over a larger portion of Northern India. They had a beginning with Babur. Their real growth came with Akbar at the helm. The kingdom saw a peak with Taj Mahal being built in the times of Shah Jahan. After Aurangzeb, it began to lose out steadily and came to end.

Look at Vijayanagar empire who ruled entire South India. It had a humble beginning with Hakka-Bukka. To reach its peak, it had to wait till its 19th king Sri Krishnadeveraya. Their 21st king was their last king as they lost out in a war and their capital got ransacked and burnt.

Glancing though pages of history, you will see many kingdoms getting born, rising and coming to an end to give way for another. Though the time periods they lasted were different, the underlying reasons for the change in direction are very much common for all of them. There has to be need for a change and an opportunity at the moment for a new kingdom to be born. A king is a product of the times he represents. And then to build on it and expand the kingdom, it requires different skills. An able king can expand its solid base already built and take its glory to new heights. That is when the problems begin to arise, bigger the kingdom larger the share of problems too. It would take smart and able king to be at helm to keep the kingdom intact. A weaker prince coming to power, who neither has the foresight of those built the kingdom nor the burning ambition and skills to keep it going, will find the problems he has to face are beyond his capacity. Then the events will take drastic turns. The loyalty base for the current king shrinks rapidly. Enemies rise and become powerful. A new kingdom arises on the ashes of the old one.

Let us take a look at political dynasty ruling India. Nehru who discovered modern India and ruled it as PM for a longer period, trained and promoted his daughter Indira into politics. Indira had grit and a strong determination to rule. Though she wanted her other son to come into politics, by luck and accident, it was Rajiv who became the next PM after her. Rajiv's death had almost brought their political dynasty to an end but Sonia took charge of the party and she was the reason behind Narasimha Rao and Man Mohan Singh becoming PM's. Now Sonia promotes her son Rahul as apparent political heir. Rahul is neither a pundit like his great grandfather, nor has the courage of his grandmother and does not possess the pleasing personality or dreams for India like his father. He resembles those princes who helped mighty kingdoms come to an end. Look at what happened during last general elections. Their loyalty base was at its lowest and their enemy took charge putting Nehru-Gandhi political dynasty into dust. Though INC won couple of state elections later, it was the effort of the local leaders and they did it for themselves and not for the dynasty.

In the midst of general elections again, it is clearly a time for change for the old dynasty. For those who do not learn from history, they help repeating it. INC may survive only if an able administrator takes charge. Else they certainly can become history too.

ಮೈಸೂರಿನ ಮೃಗಾಲಯದ ಸೆಳೆತ

"ಆಲಯ ಮೃಗಾಲಯ,

ಬಾನಾಡಿಗಳ ನಿಲಯ"

ಈ ಹಾಡಿನಲ್ಲಿ ನಾನು ಮೈಸೂರಿನ ಮೃಗಾಲಯವನ್ನು ಪ್ರಥಮ ಬಾರಿಗೆ ನೋಡಿದ್ದು. ೪ ನೇ ತರಗತಿಯಲ್ಲಿರುವಾಗ ಶಾಲೆ ಮಕ್ಕಳೆಲ್ಲ ಒಟ್ಟಿಗೆ ಈ ಹಾಡನ್ನು ಮತ್ತು ಚಿತ್ರವನ್ನು ಬೆಳ್ಳಿ ಪರದೆಯ ಅಗಾಧತತೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಆನಂದಿಸಿದ್ದು ನನ್ನ ನೆನಪಲ್ಲಿ ಹಚ್ಚು ಹಸಿರಾಗಿದೆ. ಅದಾಗಿ ಕೆಲ ವರ್ಷಗಳಿಗೆ ಅಂದರೆ ೭ ನೇ ತರಗತಿಯಲ್ಲಿರುವಾಗ ಶಾಲಾ ಪ್ರವಾಸದ ಮೂಲಕ ಮೈಸೂರಿನ ಮೃಗಾಲಯ ನೋಡುವ ಸೌಭಾಗ್ಯ ಒದಗಿ ಬಂತು. ಆ ಬಳಿಕ ಪ್ರಾಣಿ ಪಕ್ಷಿಗಳ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಕುತೂಹಲ ಕಡಿಮೆಯಾಗಿ ಮೃಗಾಲಯದ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಒಲವು ಕ್ಷೀಣಿಸಿ ಹೋಯ್ತು.

ಹಾಗೆ ಎಷ್ಟೋ ವರುಷಗಳು ಉರುಳಿ ಹೋದವು. ನನ್ನ ಓದು ಮುಗಿದು, ಉದ್ಯೋಗ ಕಂಡು ಕೊಂಡು, ಮದುವೆಯಾಗಿ, ಮಗು ಹುಟ್ಟಿ, ಆ ಮಗು ಪ್ರಾಣಿ, ಪಕ್ಷಿಗಳ ಹಿಡಿಯಲು ಆರಂಭಿಸಿದಾಗ ಮತ್ತೆ ನೆನಪಿಗೆ ಬಂದಿದ್ದು ಮೈಸೂರಿನ ಮೃಗಾಲಯ. ಕೆಲಸ ಮಾಡುವ ಬೆಂಗ ಳೂರಿನಿಂದ ಮೈಸೂರಿಗೆ ಯಾವ ಮಹಾ ದೂರ? ಹಾಗೆ ಒಂದು ಶನಿವಾರ ಬಿಡುವು ಮಾಡಿಕೊಂಡು ಕಾರಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಹೊರಟೆ ಬಿಟ್ಟೆವು. ನಾವು ನೋಡುವ ಆನಂದಕ್ಕಿಂತ, ಮಕ್ಕಳಿಗೆ ತೋರಿಸಿ ಅವರು ಖುಷಿ ಪಡುವುದಿದೆಯಲ್ಲ ಆ ಆನಂದವೇ ಹೆಚ್ಛೆನಿಸಿತು. ನನ್ನ ಮಗನಿಗೆ ತುಂಬಾ ಇಷ್ಟವಾಗಿ ಹೋಯಿತು ಈ ಮೃಗಾಲಯ. ಪ್ರತಿ ವರುಷ ರಜೆಗೆ ಒಂದು ಸಲ ಭೇಟಿ ನೀಡದೆ ಇದ್ದರೆ ಅವನಿಗೆ ಎಲ್ಲಿಯ ಸಮಾಧಾನ? ಮೈಸೂರು ಊರು ಮುಟ್ಟಿದ ತಕ್ಷಣವೇ ಈಗಲೇ 'zoo' ಗೆ ಹೊಗುವುದೇ ಎಂದು ಕೇಳುತ್ತಿದ್ದ.

ಅವನು ಬೆಳೆಯುತ್ತಿದ್ದ ಹಾಗೆಯೇ, ನಮ್ಮ ಕುಟುಂಬಕ್ಕೆ ಹೊಸ ಸೇರ್ಪಡೆಯಾಯಿತು. ಎರಡನೇ ಮಗನಿಗೂ ಪ್ರಾಣಿ ಪಕ್ಷಿಗಳೆಂದರೆ ಬಲು ಇಷ್ಟ. ಅವನಿಗೆ ಬರಿ ನಾಯಿ, ಬೆಕ್ಕು, ಆಕಳು ತೋರಿಸದುವುದೆಂತು? ನವಿಲು, ಗೊರಿಲ್ಲಾ, ಚಿರತೆಗಳನ್ನು ಬರೀ ಚಿತ್ರಗಳಷ್ಟೇ ತೋರಿಸಬೇಕೇ? ಸರಿ ಹೇಗಾದರೂ ಬಂತಲ್ಲ ಬೇಸಿಗೆ ರಜೆ ಎಂದು ಮತ್ತೆ ನಮ್ಮ ಪಯಣ ಸಾಗಿತು ಮೈಸೂರು ಕಡೆಗೆ.



ಸುಮಾರು ೫ ಕಿ. ಮೀ. ನಡೆದು ನೋಡಬೇಕಾದ ಈ ಮೃಗಾಲಯ ಸುತ್ತುವುದಕ್ಕೆ ನಾವು ತೆಗೆದುಕೊಂಡದ್ದು ಸುಮಾರು ಮೂರು ಘಂಟೆ. ನೋಡಿದ್ದು ನೂರಾರು ಪ್ರಾಣಿ ಪಕ್ಷಿಗಳು. ಕಲಿತು ಕೊಂಡ ವಿಷಯಗಳು ಹಲವಾರು. ಮೈಸೂರಿನ ಮೃಗಾಲಯದ ಸೆಳೆತದಲ್ಲಿ ನಮ್ಮ ಕಾಲುಗಳು ಸೆಳೆಯತೊಡಗಿದ್ದು ಅನುಭವಕ್ಕೆ ಬಂದಿದ್ದು ಹೋಟೆಲಿನ ಕೋಣೆಗೆ ಬಂದು ಕುಳಿತ ಮೇಲೆ. ಮತ್ತೆ ಮುಂದಿನ ರಜೆಗೆ ಬಂದರಾಯಿತು ಎಂದುಕೊಂಡೇ ಊರು ಖಾಲಿ ಮಾಡಿದ್ದು. ನಮ್ಮ ಖುಷಿ ನಿಮ್ಮ ಜೊತೆಗೂ ವಸಿ ಹಂಚಿಕೊಂಡರಾಯಿತು ಎಂದು ಇದನ್ನು ಬರೆದದ್ದಾಯಿತು.

Visit to Ilkal

ಶ್ರೀ ವಿಜಯ ಮಹಾಂತ ಸ್ವಾಮಿಗಳ ಗದ್ದುಗೆ

ಚಿತ್ತರಗಿಯ ಚರತಾತ 

ಇಳಕಲ್ಲ ಪುರ ವಿರತ 

ಆದಿ ಅಂತ್ಯ ರಹಿತ 

ಶ್ರೀ ವಿಜಯ ಮಹಾಂತ

ಉತ್ತರ ಕರ್ನಾಟಕದ ನೆಲದಲ್ಲಿ ರಾಜ ಮಹಾರಾಜರುಗಳು ಸಾಧಿಸಿದ್ದಕ್ಕಿಂತ ಹೆಚ್ಚಿನ ಸಾಧನೆ ಮಾಡಿದ್ದು ಇಲ್ಲಿನ ಸಾಧು-ಸಂತರು. ಇವರು ಕಟ್ಟಿದ್ದು ಕೋಟೆ-ಅರಮನೆಗಳಲ್ಲ. ಬದಲಿಗೆ ಸಮಾಜದ ಹಸಿವು ನೀಗಿಸುತ್ತ, ಬಡವರ ವಿದ್ಯೆ- ಶಿಕ್ಷಣದ ಅಗತ್ಯಗಳನ್ನು ಪೂರೈಸುತ್ತಾ, ಬದುಕಿಗೆ ಮಾರ್ಗದರ್ಶನ ನೀಡುವ ಸಂಸ್ಥೆಗಳನ್ನು. ಹಾಗಾಗಿಯೇ ಇವು ರಾಜ ಮನೆತನಗಳಂತೆ ಕಾಲನ ವಿನಾಶಕ್ಕೊಳಗಾಗದೆ, ಇಂದಿಗೂ ಜೀವಂತವಾಗಿವೆ. ಇದಕ್ಕೆ ಇಳಕಲ್ ಸಂಸ್ಥಾನ ಒಂದು ಉದಾಹರಣೆ. ಬಸವ ತತ್ವ ಸಾರುವ ಈ ವಾಕ್ಯ ಇಂಥ ಸಂಸ್ಥೆಗಳ ತಳಹದಿ ಎಷ್ಟು ಭದ್ರವಾಗಿದೆ ಎಂಬುದರ ಸಂಕೇತ.

Who is responsible for Mirage crash?

In the last week, a trainer Mirage Aircraft crashed at HAL Airport in Bangalore killing its two pilots. (Link: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/bengaluru/2-pilots-killed-as-upgraded-mirage-trainer-crashes-after-takeoff/articleshow/67799191.cms)

This Aircraft was on a test ride out of the factory after its upgrade. It failed to take off properly. What went wrong is not known yet.  Though the newspapers report that a detailed inquiry is ordered, I wonder why neither HAL nor Indian Air Force took responsibility and apologize to the society for failing in their duty? Are they waiting for final report to fix a blame on one party?

Though they will formally make someone a scapegoat, this incident raises more questions. Is HAL doing the right job of inspecting before they let the aircraft hit the runway? Why IAF is not furious for losing both Aircraft and its finest men? Why does not defense ministry pay attention to this?

If we let this pass as one-off situation, it is going to haunt us again and again. Tax payers fund the Govt. to take care of country's defense. And when an expensive aircraft, worth a few hundred crores crashes and two of bright young dedicated men lose lives, no one comes forward accepting the responsibility and promising to correct the mistake. Will it motivate the new generation to join IAF? What kind of credibility HAL sports? Why does Govt. remain tolerant of both? If no one pays for it, how things will change? Mera Bharat Mahan.