Well done Voters !

It is satisfying to see that voters gave a clear mandate during general elections. While they did so, they did so many other things which needs an applause.

First of all, those candidates who spent money to the tune of few crores to couple of hundred crore rupees, they lost out badly. Much hyped Mandya constituency comes to my mind where the fight was between son of a sitting CM and an independent candidate. All the money, political power, caste politics, bureaucratic support could not help CM's son win the elections. Voters have sent out a strong message, a formidable one. It has shaken the belief of political parties. The basement on which they had built their kingdom is shaken. What worked for them until now, does not work any more. Voters cannot be manipulated, not all the times. They have made their choice. The case is rested.

Second, majority of the goons, extremists, corrupt politicians who won by force earlier have lost this time. Look at incidents happened in the states of UP, Bihar and everywhere else. When a goon becomes MP, his son would become a even bigger mischief. That cycle is broken. When a candidate without evil background wins, you can expect that at least he and his family does not misbehave with citizens. That is a message to the goons to reform themselves if they want to fight elections again.

Third, winning streams are broken. Mallikarjun Kharge who had won 11 consecutive elections, had to accept defeat this time. Rahul Gandhi who was winning in Amethi (for what reasons I am not sure of) has to face voter's ire this time. Deve Gowda, an expert politician has to acknowledge that his experience did not help him this time. Mandate is clear and no one wins forever.

Though the path ahead is a longer one, the journey has begun on a firmer foot. There would more candidates who would win in future elections because of their credibility and not because of money, caste or muscle power. If money is not used during elections, there is lesser pressure on candidates to make money through illegal means, so we can expect them to deliver cleaner results. Vicious circle of corruption had to break somewhere, and it is a great thing that voters made the first move.

I have a stronger hope now that my India will progress with giant leaps now.

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.

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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.