Skip to main content

Featured Post

2023 - The Year That Was

Places impact you for a variety of reasons. And the same place impacts different people in different ways. This is especially true when it comes to spiritual experiences, where every single person’s experience is unique. And personally, every spiritual experience is unique, the same person can have different deeply spiritual experiences at different places, at different times. This thought has emerged because of my own experiences over the years, but especially so this year, with different and unique experiences at various places I have visited recently. I began this year with a visit to Baroda (Vadodara) with friends. It was meant to be a relaxed trip, a touristy trip, with our sons. We enjoyed ourselves to the hilt, but the highlight of that trip was a visit to the Lakulisha temple at Pavagadh. It was the iconography of the temple that I connected with, and I spent a few hours simply lost in the details of the figures carved around the temple. There was an indefinable connect with

Stray Thoughts on Corruption...



Article - If


… brought a smile to my face.
Yes, I fitted that headline to a T!
  •  I have never bribed a traffic cop! Though this does not really apply to me, because I don’t drive
  • I haven’t paid a donation for my child’s admission – This is something I went to great lengths to achieve, hunting schools till I found the right one which suited my concepts of education, as well as didn’t ask for a donation! I pay a hefty amount in fees though, but completely by cheque! Not a penny in cash!
  • I have never bought a movie ticket in black – not very difficult, since I either book well in advance, or wait till I can get a ticket.
  • I have paid the entire amount for my apartment by cheque – this is something I have to thank Shankar for, because he was the one who insisted on this, and actually found a builder who was happy to take a cheque for every single penny! For those of you who know me, and are wondering what I am talking about, the house is almost ready and we will be taking possession soon, the reguistration has been done, and the stamp duty paid, all without a single penny in bribes or as cash!
  • I have never bribed a government officer – I have got my passport, my election card, ration card, and multiple other things, all without paying a paisa as bribe! It has not been easy, but once the officials realize that I am not going to pay anything, and intend to come back again and again till they do my work, they tend to give up!
This was especially true at our local election office, which is notorious for their inefficiency. I turned up with a printed copy of their ward wise list with our names on it, and the officer’s face was a sight to see! It took me a while to explain to him that the entire lists were online, thanks to the government, and I had just printed it. Since my name was there, but my photograph wasn’t, and since I didn’t have an election card, but had voted at every election in the past 10 years, he had no choice but to give me my card, which he did, throwing a filthy look my way! When I turned up again with the application for my in-laws, and then my husband, he simply stopped looking at me, but simply gave me the card without a murmur!
The only time the officer insisted on a bribe was years back when I was in college and needed a domicile certificate. I tore and threw the form into the dustbin right in front of him, and walked out of the office without a backward glance.

Having said all that, there is something else that must be mentioned – this does not mean that I have never paid a bribe in my life!

The ‘baksheesh’ that we give everyone at Diwali – from the boy who delivers my newspaper to the postman, even the telegraph man, who is now redundant – it is not a big amount, but it is a bribe nevertheless.

The small change that I give the LPG delivery man, what is it, but a bribe to ensure that he brings my gas cylinder home as soon as I book it?

What about the money I pay the pujari in a temple so that he calls me aside and does the puja for me, helping me bypass the crowd and give me a moement alone with the Lord. What is it if not a bribe?

I can go on and on about the small ‘bribes’ we pay to our service providers to ensure that our lives are made easier…. Is any bill or rally going to change all that? I wonder!

But then what do we expect in a country where even our prayers are but bribes to God for answering our prayers. I do believe in God, and even in some rites and rituals, but what about our attitude of promising Him a coconut or an amount if our wishes are fulfilled? No matter which part of the country we visit, there are trees outside to which are tied either threads or cradles, or bangles. Each of these is the promise of an offering if a particular wish is fulfilled. It makes me wonder – does He really want us to offer Him all that?  The minute we are faced with troubles or face some difficult times, I am told, “Pay this amount to this temple for this puja. It will solve all your problems” I can understand going to a temple and pouring out our woes to the Lord. Speaking for myself, I don’t need to go to a temple for that! I can see Him in the most unexpected places and communicate with Him when I feel the need to, but I can still see and feel the atmosphere in some temples which induces me to communicate. But I can never understand the need to pay money to solve my problems. Aren’t we attributing Him with too many of our human attributes, especially our failings? Aren’t we assuming that He is as corruptible as our politicians, willing to help us solve our problems for a few coins? Is this really the one we want to worship? And what does it say about us?

Much as I appreciate seeing how Anna Hazare has managed to bring Indians together for the first time after independence, I must admit I have doubts about how far the Lokpal Bill will actually help eradicate corruption from our society. It is not a magic wand which once waved can bring an end to corruption! If only it was so easy! There is so much more to be done, and is much much more difficult than shouting slogans, waving flags or even getting arrested.

Some interesting articles I read today....

Enhanced by Zemanta

Comments

  1. Nice post  - Here is my take - reasons why I support Anna . Do I actually support " him" - No ? Am I slogan shouting type - No . Do I think a Lokpal bill is necessary ? Yes .Do I think this is the best method- No. But the key thing is that its made people stand up and introspect, stand up and question and also made us more conscious  about the small little tip they give to people ..will it eradicate corruption ? whom are we kidding ? but is it a beginning - YES  and thank God, its put the fear of  God in some of our politicians who believe no one will question them. 

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks, Lakshmi! I agree that thanks to him,people have at least started to get up and take notice of whats happening around them, esp the youth! indifference is our worst enemy... getting rid of it is the first step/// but so many more steps are needed, and to walk those steps needs more courage and strength of will than anything else

    ReplyDelete
  3. Good post Anu, to get my ration card I was made to wait fr 3 years , made me run around a lot but I was adamant not to pay any bribe and I won. But we do bribe in form of Bhaksheeh to those around us  to get our work done really fast.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anu, I think you are getting confused between a tip and a bribe. The latter has a well understood quid-pro-quo which defines it, while a tip to the LPG delivery man or postman is entirely voluntary. BTW, why did you leave out restaurant waiters? 

    ReplyDelete
  5. Www Iyifilmizlesene ComAugust 20, 2011 at 3:51 AM

    dsfdsf

    ReplyDelete
  6. No chitappa.... see, if i am happy with the service, it is certainly a tip, but when it is demanded, it becomes a bribe.... when the postman brings me my passport and demands 50 Rs for delivery while the rest of the time he doesnt even drop my post properly, it cant possibly be a tip... and again, when he refuses the 50 bucks I give him during diwali and asks for 100, it cant be a tip! not when he is demanding and getting that amount from every person in his area over and above the salary paid for his duty.. same thing with the telegram chap, who doesnt even come home now! when was the last time we got a telegram? but does he stop asking for the baksheesh??? and arent they paid a salary and a bonus just for doing their duty???? and this is why i left out restaurant waiters... at least they dont demand here yet!! am sure its coming soon, but at least, if i am not satisfied with the service, i can still walk out without a tip!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Thanks Chitra..... i know.. thats what irritates me... the idea seems to be.. if u have no time, pay a bribe.. if u want ur job done, pay a bribe! and the problem is that we dont always have all the time in the world to get the job done without a bribe :(

    ReplyDelete
  8. Very clean post. Barring exceptions enumerated by you, I also find myself in your group.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Though-provoking post. You are right in pointing out the flaw. We are busy playing the blame game but forget that we ourselves are a party to it in a large and small way. The day we will stop ourselves first that day real change will take place.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thank you! It is nice to see the kind of enthusiasm people are showing in rallying behind anna. I just wish more people would actually begin to stop paying bribes!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Summary of All scams of India : Rs. 910603234300000/-

    “दर्द होता रहा छटपटाते रहे,

    आईने॒से सदा चोट खाते रहे,

    वो वतन बेचकर मुस्कुराते रहे 

    हम वतन के लिए॒सिर कटाते रहे”
     

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thanks so much for stopping by. Please leave a comment for me so that I will know you have been here....

Popular posts from this blog

Gokarna Part II – The Five Lingams

We continued our Gokarna trip by visiting four other Shiva temples in the vicinity, all connected to the same story of Gokarna. The story of Gokarna mentions the Mahabaleshwara Lingam as the one brought from Kailas by Ravana, and kept at this place on the ground by Ganesha. (See my earlier post- Gokarna – Pilgrimage and Pleasure). However, the story does not end here. It is believed that, in his anger, Ravana flung aside the materials which covered the lingam- the casket, its lid, the string around the lingam, and the cloth covering it. All these items became lingams as soon as they touched the ground. These four lingams, along with the main Mahabaleshwara lingam are collectively called the ‘ Panchalingams’ . These are: Mahabaleshwara – the main lingam Sajjeshwar – the casket carrying the lingam. This temple is about 35 Kms from Karwar, and is a 2 hour drive from Gokarna. Dhareshwar – the string covering the lingam. This temple is on NH17, about 45 Kms south of Gokarna. Gunavanteshw

Rama Temple, Gokarna

To my right , the waves rush to the shore, eager to merge with the sand. To my left, the same waves crash against the rocks, their spray diverting my reverie as I ponder over the beauty of nature, and wonder what first brought people here. Was it this beauty that encouraged them to build a temple here, or was it the fresh, sweet spring water flowing from the hill here that made this place special? No matter what the reason, I am glad my auto driver brought me here. We are at the Rama temple in Gokarna, just a few minutes away from the Mahabaleshwara Temple, yet offering so different a perspective.

Pandharpur Yatra 2023

The first time I visited Pandharpur was back in 2007 . The names Vitthal and Pandharpur, were just names to me. I had heard of them, but that was about it. Seeing the lord standing on the brick, hands on his hips, was memorable, but more memorable was the sight that greeted us as we walked out of the main sanctum of the temple. In the mandap just outside were a group of devotees singing abhangs , and dancing. This was the first time I had heard abhangs , and even almost 15 years later, I can remember the welling of feeling within me, listening to the songs, and how fascinated I was by the sight of the devotees dancing, lost in their love of the Lord. Over the years, as I have read more about Vitthal, and participated in Ashadi Ekadashi programmes at Puttaparthi, that first experience has stayed clear in my mind and heart. Every time I tell my Balvikas students of the saints who sang of Vitthala, it is that experience that I re-live. I visited Pandharpur again, in 2010, but that experie