Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Happened to go shopping for groceries with mom and she happened to mention that a kilogram of pulses procured from a store cost 100/-. Just about a month back it was 70/-. Sometimes I wonder if we are in a country which functions akin to Robin Hood or why always quote someone some place else? To have an Indian counterpart, Kochunni, in Kerala. For clarity, he was a lot like Robin Hood. He robbed the rich and gave to the poor. But not all of the rich. The noble amongst them were let be. But it definitely makes me ponder if our country and the way things are function the way Kochunni did and in most cases, in ways that he did as well. There are enough and more idlers in our country. And there are some who feign being in the lower strata though they might earn as much as a proper upper middle class family for the free benefits that happen. Those who end up slogging it out face super taxes, yeah I know there are some countries where taxes go way beyond what it is in India, but sometimes its almost like its a crime if you are the tax payer in this country. Taxes are high, we have to pay exhorbitant amounts to procure basic food supplies... If you live in Tamilnadu one of the things that you will hear again and again from a lot of people is "Don't you earn/make money? Then better pay up". (Sambaadhikkare illa? Appo kudu) I dont know if you have heard this line or something that is similar but you have no idea how many times we have heard it. Why do people who draw a monthly salary treated like unofficial ATM's?
I happened to read a report on how Traffic Ramaswamy got fed up with the corporation officials and decided to go and manually remove the unauthorized shops in T Nagar. Solo. And used only his two hands. First apparently a lot of people shouted at him but then the rest of the shopowners ran away seeing what he is doing. At 75+, blind in one eye (because there were people who beat him up for doing all this for a city and a people who really do not care ) this one man is going about doing everything that he can to make this city stick to some norms. Our country's biggest strength remains and shall always remain in its population. Why cannot the people just see the truth that is staring at them in the eye and kick injustice where it has to be kicked. Why are people collectively cowards? Why is it still in singular when we refer to a being that fights an unjust system? When someone like Ramaswamy fights for a change on a street in Chennai how is it that the politicians do not seem to have even an iota of that love for this country. After all, a man of the soil becomes a politician and is able to pull a lot of clout and increase his net worth only because of his status as politician. And in this country. Business deals that are struck almost always have a vested personal interest of the immediate people involved in the whole process. And definitely so it is with the politicians. I am a nobody to say a politician is a servant of the country or that people employed by the Government should sweat their blood and sacrifice every interest and work for the country. Because that just cannot be the case. Because the Government does not give great benefits, salaries or facilities for its employee. He has a family, he has children too who will have dreams as your children might have. And how is he going to pay for an engineering or medical degree with a 5000/- per month salary? And I heard enough and more from some people who went on and on, during my stint as an RJ that people working in the Govt. should be selfless. Should not think of family and whatnot. Really now? Are you going to be paying for a Govt employee's medical expenses? You, the citizen of India, even if you knew that someone has a very clean record? Yeah, sure you'll say that they can go to the GH. Its all free. But would you, who has an access to a computer and has an internet connection and reading this line this very moment step into the GH when you expect your family to be taken care of and come out hale and hearty? We as Indians are basically hypocrites. We cannot move a finger to do anything. Even if a portion of the city of Chennai came together to support someone like Traffic Ramaswamy there will be no issues, no bribery, no red tape anywhere. But we are the quintessential untiring cribbers. My city, my country needs a miracle. Perhaps a prayer. Perhaps a conscience. Perhaps the right deed at the right time. Or perhaps all that my country just needs are true citizens.

P.S.: Just heard yesterday. Do you know that most Government/Private schools (correct me here if I am wrong) have a new rule which does not allow a chair for teachers in Classrooms? The New law according to the Education ministry says that teachers are supposed to be standing the entire day and cannot sit. So the chairs have been removed from this academic year. This is definitely how it is happening in Salem. And most definitely in other parts of the country as well. What a wonderful life we give our teachers.

31 comments:

VAIRAMUTHUSASIREKHA said...

Hi Chinmayi
Ur blog is too good.And also i saw ur facebook profile. UR rocking in many fields. Good and keep goin to achieve a great success further in all fields.
regards
Sasirekhavairamuthu

பிரியமுடன்... said...

அவர்கள் நிற்பது
நம்மை நிற்க வைப்பதற்கு
நல்ல நிலையில்!

வகுப்பில் நின்றாலும்
வாழ்க்கை முழுவதும்
நிற்கிறார்கள்
நம் மனதில்!

கற்க கசடற கற்பவை கற்றபின்
நிற்க அதற்குத் தக!

சத்தியமா...இந்த குரளுக்கும் ஆசிரியர் நிற்பதற்கும் எந்த சம்மந்தமும் இல்லவே இல்லை....

Meow said...

NO chairs to teacher is totally disheartening you know! I was thinking about Gurukula system, where in the student has to do all sort of things to his guru to get the knowledge transferred from his guru..

Its a huge transformation from there to the point where teachers can use no chair... how sad! *Sighs*

Selvam said...

Chinmayi, great observation! Welcome to the debate of Capitalism vs. Socialism. Your article indirectly attests that capitalism is the most practical way of accomplishing social well-being. Although socialism sounds great in priciple, it is meaningless in practice. Let the debate continue.... after all, it has been going on for about 100 years now across the globe.

MADHAV said...

Pathetic that teachers dont get to sit! Sometimes I feel the old man has gone crazy. No offense meant. Of all the issues our state is facing right now, this seems to be the most important one. What are they going to achieve by this? What was the rationale behind such a move, if at all there was one? Already teachers are lowly-paid. This is like adding insult to injury. Kali muthi poyindirukku. Kalki please bail us out!!!

Madhav

Hariharan said...

What u have mentioned is only the tip of the iceberg...just dive under water and u can find the whole lot...its probably not titanic..but progressive india that is going to sink unless we as educated come up with something big...this is something that i have found out in chennai for long...
ny problem either burn a bus or burn a tree or a human effigy or nothin works burn oneself...why is dis the mentality...does he think about his family that is dependent on him before he burns himself..are those who provoked him taking care of his family..

Another point..chennai was d 1ly city that did not have a candle light vigil after the mumbai attacks...

chennai was least represented among indias metroes in the earth hour..

high time we think of these...and all we want is a elevated coridor along the coast that could probably damage the elliots or marina and also the olive ridleys..

Anonymous said...

Hey Chinmayi,

Check out this blog for more on people who are ready to put up a fight for a cause against odds.

http://thirumbiparkiraen.blogspot.com/2009/07/blog-post.html

Cheers
Viji R

Unknown said...

Teachers cant sit in a classroom ? Where have I landed ?
And Hi Chinmayi, been noticing that you are going places with the TV programme and the singing apart from Blue Elephant. We moved from Taiwan to Dubai for a 3 year period - now back to namma ooru.

Madman said...

i have read about traffic Ramaswamy he is a great man. And as far as no chair goes, it is the post pathetic lunatics rule on this God's green earth. The seldom implement the the changes in academics, these fools implement this hara kiri x-(

Unknown said...

Hi,
For corruption and chalta hai attitude, it is going to take more than a generation to achieve this change. We are a "Follow the crowd society". Now that we have good leadership at the PM level, the move towards a corruption free society is evolving with tools like RTI.

Regards,

B

Arch said...

I dont know - this blog is quickly becoming a rant place, and a good one at that. You know, it is so easy to be where we are and talk about it but the way it is done is absolutely gruesome in the lower strata. My maid does not make sambar everyday, she cannot afford it. Agreed totally - we are hypocries. Absolute ones at that. We only make noise, just like what you and me do. None of us bother to make the difference, as we poor people can just hope and pray!

P.S - The bit on chairs is true. And did you know, a government employee ( a teacher for 10th standard) is paid only Rs. 9000 a month?

Anonymous said...

This practice has been followed even in colleges such as Sathyabhama and i personally know teachers who have got back pain and come back home dead tired because they take 4-5 classes or more per day( eaching amounting to an hour) standing. They are not provided chairs. I beleive they are treated worse than students

EsKay said...

Teachers used to deserve respect when they treated theirs a noble profession. Not anymore. Nothing is treated noble (medicine, nursing, music etc)in this material world.

Well get on with it. In the west teachers dont have a great esteem in the society like we used to have in India. Now we are emulating western way of living. Welcome to globalisation.

Humanity is becoming a short supply in India because of the near out of control level of population. Disciplinarian society like China can do but a freak out, highly inquisitive society like in India it is impossible. Science says more the number of variables, greater the chaos. We used to enjoy chaos. We dont have time to enjoy any more; not only the chaos but anything.

Anonymous said...

About the teachers standing in class - One of my relatives' school had this method followed in Namakkal long back and she quit her job.Since its not easy for someone who is so weak.

But for some idle teachers, who just sit and wont stand for even 5 min or so in a Maths class(imagine in 12th std!!!)and asking students to read in a Maths class :-(( definitely need this.

`J` I` S` H` U` said...

Hi akka,
We are living in a highly competitive world,i don"t know whether India comes under this competition or not..why always one or two people come forward and raise their voice for just?why not others..?the answer for this question would end up with a chain of question marks.We all ppl prefer to lead a prosperous and the most "safest" life, in a happier way..if we indulge in any problems to correct others we would definitely end up with a mess most of the times.As i mentioned b4,we ppl always wish to be in the safer side..so,before gaining some confidence and power to argue,fear encircles our mind and make us withdraw from that arguement,thinking that they would trap us into a serious of problems which we might face following that problem..If we advice someone to correct their mistakes,we will hear the same standard reply "un vaela ennavo adha mattum paaru"(mind ur own business).If we insist them furthur,they will pretend to follow us immediately,as though our advice has pricked their conscience and had penetrated their skull and into their brain making it crystal clear has a super fast dry clean does.They will follow our demand that is right,just for time being..,we cant expect them to continue it from dawn to dusk daily.

These ppl are far enough,atleast they are pretending to be looked good.But, there are some ppl who would indulge in doing their mistakes more furiously after hearing our long comprehensive advice... and they are the ppl who finally achieve the fruit of happiness seeing our blood burn and boil to the extreme.From now let us conglomerate and work for the society not for the develpment,but,not to make the exsisting situation even more worse.I am not aged 18 too,but i have gained knowledge to understand the behaviour of our ppl at their various circumstances.By that way, i thank my society a ton..."
-Jishu.

Anees Ahmed Basha said...

Really???? Is the news of 'NO Chairs for Teachers' True??? I couldn't find any article on the web on this matter... Can you tell me where you read about it??

Anyways.. our education system is already going down the drains... and with this step, the already diminishing respect for the teaching profession is gonna go further down.. this will dishearten the few teacher aspirants too...

Kaushik said...

Dear Chinmayi,
Lots of powerful issues you have dealt with here. Its a nice that you are spreading the awareness to people. The only way forward is through spiritual awakening and i forsee that happening very soon.

Cheers,
Kaushik

Priya Srinivasan said...

Hi Chinmayi,

I feel this has been implemented bcos of 10% of worst teachers only.
Big example was Milton, SDH Jain Vidhayala, Madurai(2000 batch).
He was a maths teacher, who used to take +12 maths in playgroud without a board and chalk. He used to sit and dictate the steps. Can a maths teacher sit and teach. Is that possible? They have to bring rule, teachers should use board and just shouldn't read from book, which we can do by ourself.

May there are good teachers too. But how to find out the worst and handle them?

Shanker Nair said...

well.. hmm, that was one helluva blog. LOADED !

This is quite a debatable topic. Now, I lived in China for 2 years(just moved out), and anyting I say would be blaming our country(like you did)- which isn't wrong. The true concern of an Indian citizen is being voiced here.

Now, all I would say is Viji aka Anonymous's message is the way to go ! Do your bit. Im in 2 groups tat have been makin quite an impact in bangalore.

Talking of dal, prices, politics- well, everything revolves around the root cause - teh basic way our counry operates- which needs a cyclopean change, which aint happening anytime soon, not being pessimistic, being realistic.

Clothes pouring in as relief is seen on Bangalore's roads (the best brands from all over the world), which helps wannabe Bangalore's college kids stay in vogue. Rice, dal, groceries coming in as relief is seen being sold in the "Chetty shop next door".

Like u said, there needs to be a miracle.. and its a long time to get there.. but lets hope for the best. Influential people could definetly bring about changes unlike common man, and they should do it as a little social responsibility towards the community.

have a nice one !
Shanker.

Anonymous said...

India has way to go people!

Unknown said...

Hi Chinamyi,

Great topic to discuss.See the policy note for 2008 defined by Minister for School education .Last year Govt had spent lot of money buying chairs and tables. This year they are removing chair for teachers ...good policy :-). In the below link see on page 10 /4th point.The money is not from thier pocket. If u see the estimation they have shown for school education...you would be shocked.

http://www.tn.gov.in/policynotes/archives/policy2008-09/pdf/school_education.pdf

Regards
Raghu

Anonymous said...

Hi,
wow! the country that valued teachers after our very own parents and before god punishes them by standing for the entire day! certainly the ones who passed the law were illiterate. Suprisingly, there isn't any teachers' strinking or students uprising to let the government know of its mistakes! In Toronto there has been teachers' strike every year except for this year- their reason, increase the salary. Kali kalam!

-kas-

Anonymous said...

Chinmayi San...

"Sambaadhikkare illa? Appo kudu" Good one :)

I think most of the Indians started thinking ,it is just the matter of getting the act together.

For example,Kargil war memorial ideas,setting a first class example with Teach India etc...

Sooner or later ,the rich will vision,poor will seek,the middle class will look beyond their second thoughts,India will be developed.

hav fun !!!

Sathya said...

Hi chinmayi,
i have ur blog follower for quite sometime now. though being a chennaite i'm earning bread and butter being employed in blg for one of d IT bigges. ur blogs are definite pointers to a larger iceberg kind of issues...this blog is one revelation..Traffic ramaswamy, my god am amazed but shocked too seeing d plight of our city. being an RJ does make u a lot informative and a sort of social medium for people like us. sometimes i really feel that i am worthless cause all i do is sitting inside an AC hall b4 d laptop, doing wat that fills my bank a/c but not my heart. and as u say think people like me need to turm into true citizens that wil change or b d miracle for our country. soemthings i ve done in my side to be d change - i do try to obey most of d traffic rules, throw waste in dustbin, help people cross busy roads, donate money for charitable causes, even advise my friends n colleuges to try a few of d above, but all that i get back is poor jokes, a blast of laugh and even get shooed away for trying to be a buddha..if this is d case with even d educated lot, then god save India. Self realisation is the best realisation to drive any change. wish atelast readers of this and ur blogs take a thread to be a change.to conclude this one is really best of ur blogs,keep up d gud work.

Anonymous said...

Nice blog, but can you please break large paragraphs into smaller ones for easier reading ?

Thanks.

Nash said...

I think the divide between rich/middle class/poor are really a lot. Until you have a sort of improvement in the economic status of the under privileged, this is going to exist. The economic divide will be there but the success lie in how less the divide could be made possible. Until then the strata of the society will demand more. You cannot blame them.

vidhi said...

hey..do u think the teach's don't sit if they don't have a chair..in my skool, the teachers ask us to adjust with some other person and sit in our place...

Actually, i had a teach who would sit in the chair and sleep tightly..so this rule is gud in one way rit!

Unknown said...

Hey Chinmayi,
Hope you are doing good.
I agree with all you have said in this blog. I am looking forward to the miracle to happen in our ages. I am a kind of feeling that people in india lost their humanity and going after money.

I appreciate you wrote about this. I also heard you talking this kind of things on shows. Keep doing :-) till we get the change that we all need.

Good luck!

-Suthan

Fishy said...

hi,

talking of teachers,govt institutions, just to share an experience of my cousin, who enjoys being a teacher in a private school for quite a low pay. She was on training in govt school, for her B.Ed. Did u know, students have to take turns to wash tiffin boxes of teachers, buy her grocies, stand in the ration for them. Boys attending 10th exam still dont know what a noun and verb is? She opted to stay away from govt school though she made alot of difference to many children.

Its nice to fight for a cause, but no one wants to fight a losing battle. Where the end is already defined..
it

Saraswathan said...

It is really very simple Chinmayi. All that is needed is for everyone of us to make a beginning in our own personal life. Try and avoid encouraging bribery by not resorting to it under any circumstance for our personal needs, follow the rules and regulations strictly, teach our children to do similarly will go a long way in slowly curing this pernicious evil from our Society. I am following this personally and believe it or not when I go for any work with govt. I get the work done, though with some reluctance, by the employee! So stop cribbing and make a beginning!

anitha said...

I worked as a lecturer in a couple of engineering colleges in chennai for a few years..now that I read the news of teachers not having chairs, I think about the days when lecturers in many engineering colleges were not offered any chairs to sit on in classrooms. That was so humiliating! Of all the hours I spent lecturing,I do not remember sitting in between for a break..I was young then..how could old people do that..?